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Professional Learning Program repealed | New Council member | New programs accredited | Investigations | Dispute Resolution Program | Discipline Panel Decisions |
InvestigationsThe College investigates complaints about members that relate to alleged professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity. If the Investigation Committee concludes that a complaint does not relate to one of those three matters or is frivolous, vexatious or an abuse of process, it does not proceed with the complaint. Four out of five complaints are not referred to the Discipline Committee
but are dismissed or resolved by other means. This section of the magazine
offers examples of cases not referred to a hearing. Case #1Complaint: Failure by a principal to deal with bullying of a student A parent complained that his child's principal imposed inappropriate discipline on students, demoralized them by creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, created a lack of trust by his actions and failed to maintain a safe school environment. The parent stated that his child had been repeatedly bullied, physically and emotionally, by other students and that the child had informed the principal of the alleged bullying incidents but that no effort was made to stop them. The information provided to the College by the complainant included the school board's letter confirming that the board had investigated the parent's complaint and found that the member had acted in accordance with the Safe Schools Act and board policy. A panel of the Investigation Committee considered the complaint and decided that it was more appropriately dealt with at the school board level and that the board had investigated and addressed the allegations. Case #2Complaint: Inappropriate touching of two students and criminal
charges arising out of the alleged behaviour A school board reported to the College that one of its employees had been charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual interference under the Criminal Code of Canada. The member denied the allegations and, following a trial on the criminal
charges, was acquitted. The member, in his response to the College's complaint investigation, said that he tapped a student with a single finger when asking the student to pick up a marker and tapped another student with two or three fingers on the bottom when asking that student to pick up some paper from the floor. The member denied allegations of fondling. The complaint was considered by a panel of the Investigation Committee, which directed that the member be cautioned with respect to the touching allegations. The panel said that such behaviour was not acceptable or appropriate for members of the profession. The committee strongly urged the member to attend a boundary workshop sponsored by the member's federation. The committee noted the comments of the trial judge and that the member had been acquitted on the criminal charges. Case #3Complaint: Failure by principal to report incompetence of teacher
and to monitor teacher's conduct The College received a complaint from a parent of a Grade 2 student who felt that a teacher under the supervision of the principal was incompetent. The complainant alleged that the teacher was disorganized and that the Grade 2 students were several weeks behind in their reading program. The complainant also said that the teacher was not sending any work home with the students and that addition and subtraction were not being covered in class. The parent felt that the students were not being challenged in their spelling. The parent was "dismayed by the teacher's constant excuses as to why the curriculum was not being taught" and questioned whether the teacher was "abridging [the student's] right to free speech." The parent met with the member to raise these matters and the principal said that some monitoring of the teacher's performance would take place. This was unacceptable to the parent who asked the College to assist in seeing that the child was transferred to another Grade 2 class. The member, the school board and school officials advised that they had met repeatedly with the complainant who was not satisfied with the responses of the board. The Investigation Committee considering this complaint had also earlier considered the parent's complaint against the teacher and found that the alleged behaviour did not amount to incompetence. The committee found that the allegations against the principal would
also not amount to incompetence and refused to consider or further investigate
the complaint. The committee commented that matters such as these are
more appropriately dealt with at the school and school board level. |