John Tucker

The Discipline Committee of the Ontario College of Teachers held a penalty hearing for a member previously found guilty of professional misconduct for failing to accurately record student grades and making inappropriate comments to students.

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered a reprimand, a one-month suspension of the member's certificate, and the completion of coursework on boundary violations and sensitivity.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought allegations of professional misconduct against a teacher for inappropriate comments and substandard teaching practices.

The Discipline Committee found the Member guilty of professional misconduct for inaccurately recording student grades in the Mark Book system and for making inappropriate comments in front of students, including asking if a student was 'gay' and stating that a student's mother 'grilled' him and was 'animated'.

The Committee dismissed several other allegations, including failing to adequately supervise students, providing an overly-detailed exam review, and leaving an exam on his desk for students to view, citing insufficient evidence or finding that the conduct did not amount to professional misconduct.

A penalty hearing was to be scheduled at a later date.

The Discipline Committee held a penalty hearing after finding the Member guilty of professional misconduct and incompetence related to poor classroom management and failure to ensure student safety.

The College sought a reprimand, coursework, a one-month suspension, publication with name, and $15,000 in costs.

The Member agreed to the reprimand and coursework but opposed the suspension, publication with name, and costs.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, coursework, and publication with name to serve as specific and general deterrents.

The Committee declined to order a suspension, finding insufficient evidence to support it, and denied the College's request for costs, concluding that the Member's defence was not unreasonable or frivolous.

The Ontario College of Teachers alleged that the Member, a teacher, committed professional misconduct by using physical force to direct and drag two students on separate occasions.

The Discipline Committee found that the College failed to prove the allegations.

Regarding the first incident, no direct evidence was presented.

Regarding the second incident, the Committee found that the Member used force to manage a student who posed a potential threat to himself and others, but the force was not excessive and did not result in any injuries.

The allegations of professional misconduct were dismissed.

The member was previously found guilty of professional misconduct for interrupting a class and engaging in a verbal altercation with a colleague and students.

At the penalty hearing, the Discipline Committee ordered that the member receive a reprimand to be recorded on the Register.

The Committee also ordered that the findings and order be published in summary form without the member's name, noting that the conduct was on the less severe end of the spectrum and involved a single incident.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a member for alleged professional misconduct and incompetence related to classroom management during the 2009-2010 academic year.

The member was accused of permitting student disruptions, failing to report potentially harmful misconduct, and failing to control students on a field trip.

The Discipline Committee found that the member repeatedly failed to submit required conduct reports and failed to adequately supervise students during several serious incidents, including a classroom intrusion and a stink bomb incident.

The Committee concluded that the member's acts of omission constituted professional misconduct and demonstrated incompetence, rendering her unfit to carry out professional responsibilities without terms, conditions, or limitations.

The Ontario College of Teachers alleged that the Member committed professional misconduct by interrupting a class and making inappropriate, abusive comments to an adult student.

The Discipline Committee found that the Member did interrupt the class and engaged in an unprofessional verbal altercation, constituting unprofessional conduct and conduct unbecoming a member.

However, due to inconsistent and contradictory evidence from the College's witnesses regarding the specific comments made and the student's emotional state, the Committee dismissed the allegations of verbal, psychological, and emotional abuse.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought disciplinary proceedings against a member for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student.

The member pled guilty to professional misconduct, admitting to communicating electronically with the student, meeting her at his home, taking her on outings, and engaging in physical touching, kissing, and hugging.

The Discipline Committee accepted the guilty plea and found the member guilty of failing to maintain professional standards, disgraceful conduct, and conduct unbecoming a member.

However, the Committee dismissed allegations of psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse, finding insufficient evidence to support those specific charges without the member's presence or further clarification.

The Committee ordered the immediate revocation of the member's teaching certificate and directed the publication of his name and a summary of the decision in the College's official publication, emphasizing the need for specific and general deterrence.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a motion seeking leave to withdraw allegations of professional misconduct against the Member.

College Counsel determined there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations and no reasonable prospect of obtaining a finding of professional misconduct.

In exchange, the Member provided an undertaking to resign, never seek reinstatement, and never teach again in Ontario.

The Discipline Committee granted the motion, finding that the withdrawal of the allegations in exchange for the undertaking and a notation on the Public Register was appropriate and protected the public interest.

The Member, an elementary school teacher, pled guilty to professional misconduct for physically and verbally abusing multiple students over a six-year period.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Resolution.

The Committee found the Member guilty of professional misconduct and ordered a reprimand, along with a condition requiring the Member to complete a pre-approved course in classroom management before seeking employment requiring a teaching certificate.

The College brought a motion seeking leave to withdraw allegations of professional misconduct and incompetence against the member.

After the matter was referred to the Discipline Committee, new medical information was received indicating that the matter would be more appropriately resolved by the Fitness to Practise Committee.

With the consent of the member's counsel, the Discipline Committee granted the motion to withdraw the allegations, finding it reasonable, appropriate, and in the public interest.

The member, a contract teacher, was recorded on video taking $33.00 from a locked drawer in the school's office over a five-day period.

He resigned and later made restitution of $100.00.

The member pleaded guilty to professional misconduct.

The Discipline Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand and the completion of a course on ethical behaviour.

The Committee also ordered that the decision be published with the member's name, rejecting the member's request for publication without name, emphasizing the need for transparency, accountability, and deterrence.

The Member, a teacher, pled guilty to professional misconduct after engaging in verbally and emotionally abusive behaviour toward a colleague following the end of their consensual relationship.

The Member sent offensive and threatening text messages and continued to pursue the colleague despite being asked to stop.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, the completion of a course on harassment and professional boundaries, and publication of the decision with the Member's name.

The Member brought a motion to adjourn her discipline hearing to accommodate her attendance at a mandatory conference, and to hold the rescheduled hearing electronically via teleconference.

The College consented to the adjournment but opposed the electronic hearing, arguing that witness credibility would be a key issue in the contested hearing.

The Discipline Committee granted the adjournment on consent but denied the request for an electronic hearing, finding that the ability to observe witness demeanour and manage documentary evidence required an in-person hearing.

The Member, a probationary teacher, pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for physically abusing a student by dragging him across the classroom floor and shaking him by the ankles.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a requirement to complete a classroom management course before returning to teaching, and publication of the decision with the Member's name.

The Member, a teacher, was convicted of possessing, making available, and accessing child pornography.

He was sentenced to 53 months in jail and prohibited from being in the presence of children under 16 for 20 years.

The Discipline Committee found the Member guilty of professional misconduct based on his criminal convictions.

The Committee ordered the revocation of the Member's Certificate of Qualification and Registration and directed publication of the decision with his name, emphasizing the need to protect children and maintain public confidence in the profession.

The College brought a motion seeking leave to withdraw allegations of professional misconduct against the member set out in a 2009 Notice of Hearing.

College counsel advised that the allegations dated back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, and that none of the witnesses were willing or able to testify to the events.

As there was no reasonable prospect of obtaining a finding of professional misconduct due to insufficient evidence, and with the consent of the member, the Discipline Committee granted the motion and authorized the withdrawal of the allegations.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought discipline proceedings against a member for falsely claiming to have completed an Additional Qualification course in French as a Second Language and providing forged documents from Queen's University to her school board employer.

The member did not attend the hearing.

The Discipline Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct for providing false information, falsifying records, and engaging in dishonourable and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, a four-month suspension of her teaching certificate, a requirement to complete a professional ethics course, and publication of the decision.

The member pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for submitting a forged reference letter, purportedly from his former principal, when applying for a teaching position in Bermuda.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a two-month suspension, and the completion of an ethics course.

The Committee also ordered that the decision be published with the member's name to serve as a general deterrent and protect the integrity of the profession.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a motion to withdraw allegations of professional misconduct against the member, including allegations of sexual and psychological abuse of a student.

The withdrawal was sought on the basis that the member signed an undertaking to resign her membership, never seek reinstatement, and never teach again in Ontario.

The Discipline Committee granted the motion, finding that the withdrawal in exchange for the undertaking protected the public interest and ensured transparency through a notation on the public register.