Victoria teacher charged with sexual exploitation of students

A Vancouver Island teacher has been arrested and charged with having inappropriate sexual relationships with students.

A Victoria-area high school teacher is facing multiple charges after allegedly having sexual relationships with students, police say.

Marnie Elizabeth Jolene Burnham was arrested by the Saanich Police Department’s special investigations unit on Feb. 15, 2024, when the then 36-year-old instructor was also teaching under the name Marnie Forin, the department said in a news release Tuesday.

Police began investigating after they received information that a female teacher in the Greater Victoria School District was engaging in sexual contact with students, according to the release.

“A criminal investigation was launched once a victim was identified,” police said. “During the initial investigation, additional alleged victims were identified, leading to a second separate investigation.”

Online court records show charges of sexual exploitation and telecommunication to lure a child under 18 were sworn against Burnham on April 19, 2024. Those offences allegedly occurred in Saanich on Jan. 1, 2023, according to the documents.

The second round of charges against the teacher were approved on March 28 of this year. They include two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of telecommunication to lure a child under 18. The records show those charges allegedly occurred in Saanich on June 9, 2023.

Deb Whitten, the superintendent of the Greater Victoria School District, issued a statement Tuesday calling the allegations against the former Oak Bay High School and Mount Doug Secondary School teacher “concerning.”

Whitten says the school district launched its own investigation and reported the matter to police as soon as administrators became aware of the allegations.

The district also notified the Ministry of Education and Child Care and the provincial Teacher Regulation Branch, according to the superintendent.

“Students known to have been involved have been contacted by the district and/or police services and advised of support services,” Whitten said, adding the teacher is on unpaid leave.

“The district will continue to fully co-operate with police as investigations continue.”

Burnham was released from police custody pending her next scheduled court appearance on May 26.

Conditions of her release include that she not contact anyone under 18, including her alleged victims, and not be on school property.

“We want to thank those who have come forward for their bravery,” the Saanich police said in the release. “Our investigators believe there may be more who have yet to do so.”

Anyone under 18 who had sexual contact with Burnham before December 2024 is asked to contact Saanich police investigators.