A teacher working in a BC high school has been banned from teaching for 15 years after they kissed a vulnerable student.
According to discipline documents, the incident happened at the teacher’s home when their children (over 19 years old) threw a party.
After eating dinner out, the teacher returned to their home, where a party was taking place. Some attendees were university students of legal drinking age.
A student whom the teacher taught was drinking alcohol at the party, but according to documents from the BC Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, they were not of legal drinking age.
The document added while the teacher knew that there was alcohol at the party, they were not aware their former student was drinking.
At one point during the party, which was the night of the student’s graduation, the teacher kissed them on the lips. The incident was photographed and circulated on social media.
The teacher resigned from the District and has agreed that their certificate of qualification would be cancelled.
The teacher has also agreed that for 15 years, they will not be able to apply for or obtain a certificate of qualification, an independent school teaching certificate, or any other authorization to teach in the kindergarten to grade 12 education system.
The Commissioner said the considered factors were that the teacher endangered the emotional safety of a student and that their conduct was part of a pattern of boundary issues. So, “a cancellation 15-year ban on reapplication is an appropriate consequence,” the summary reads.