Robert Gagné

The Discipline Committee held a penalty hearing for a teacher found guilty of professional misconduct for making inappropriate comments to students and sexually harassing colleagues.

The College sought a 6-9 month suspension, while the self-represented member argued against any suspension, demonstrating a lack of insight into his behaviour.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, a 3-month suspension, and the completion of a culturally relevant professional boundaries course, finding this penalty proportionate and consistent with prior decisions.

The Discipline Committee of the Ontario College of Teachers held a penalty hearing after finding the member guilty of professional misconduct.

The Committee ordered that the member receive a reprimand, serve a three-month suspension of his Certificate of Qualification and Registration, and complete a pre-approved course on professional boundaries and boundary violations before returning to a teaching position.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a member for alleged professional misconduct during the 2013-2014 academic year.

The allegations included making inappropriate and sexually suggestive comments to students and colleagues, and engaging in inappropriate physical contact.

The Discipline Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct for failing to maintain the standards of the profession, psychologically or emotionally abusing students, and engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, unprofessional, and unbecoming conduct.

The Committee found that the member made inappropriate comments about a student's weight, embarrassed students, pinched a student's cheeks, and sexually harassed colleagues.

Allegations of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse were not proven.

The Member, a vice-principal, pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for altering the marks of a student without the knowledge or authorization of the school principal.

The Member also exerted pressure on teachers to influence their grading of the student.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Penalty, finding the Member guilty of professional misconduct.

The Committee ordered a reprimand and a four-month retroactive suspension of the Member's Certificate of Qualification and Registration.

The Member brought a motion seeking an adjournment of her discipline hearing for medical reasons.

The Ontario College of Teachers consented to the adjournment subject to conditions, including the provision of a detailed medical report and a signed consent for the College to communicate with the Member's physician.

The Chair of the Discipline Panel granted the adjournment on consent, finding it appropriate and in the public interest.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought discipline proceedings against a member for professional misconduct related to two unsafe classroom demonstrations.

In one incident, the member conducted a combustion experiment without safety equipment, resulting in an explosion.

In another, the member placed a plastic bag over a student's head to demonstrate oxygen deprivation.

The member pleaded guilty to professional misconduct.

The Discipline Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand and requiring the member to complete a pre-approved course on classroom safety before returning to teaching.

The Member, a teacher, pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for failing to maintain professional boundaries with students.

The Member engaged in inappropriate physical contact, including sitting behind students on the same chair, touching their faces and hair, and rubbing their shoulders.

He also made inappropriate comments and mocked a student's culture.

The Discipline Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand and imposing terms, conditions, or limitations on the Member's certificate, including a requirement to complete individualized instruction sessions on professional boundaries before returning to teach.

The Member, a secondary school teacher, pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for failing to maintain appropriate boundaries and sexually abusing students.

The Member engaged in inappropriate personal communications with students via email and text message, invited students to meet off school property, and engaged in inappropriate physical contact.

The Discipline Committee accepted the agreed statement of facts and joint submission on penalty, finding the Member guilty of professional misconduct and ordering the immediate revocation of his teaching certificate.

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

The Discipline Committee granted the motion on consent, noting that the Member's case had previously been dealt with by another Committee of the College, making the withdrawal reasonable and in the public interest.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a motion on consent seeking leave to withdraw allegations of professional misconduct against the respondent member.

The Discipline Committee granted the motion, noting that the member's case had previously been dealt with by another committee of the College, making the withdrawal reasonable and in the public interest.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a motion, on consent, for an order to dispose of the motion in writing and to adjourn the scheduled discipline hearing sine die due to the member's medical condition.

The member provided a Declaration of Undertaking and Acknowledgement agreeing not to teach or hold any position requiring a Certificate of Qualification and Registration until the complaint is disposed of.

The Discipline Committee granted the motion, finding that the member's medical condition precluded her attendance, the request was timely, and the public interest was protected by the member's undertaking and the notation on the public register.

The parties were ordered to provide an update within one year.

The Member, a teacher, pleaded guilty to professional misconduct after an incident where he raised his fist and made a punching motion towards a student who would not follow instructions.

The Member had a history of using physical force to address student misbehaviour, having previously received a letter of expectation and a 15-day suspension for similar conduct.

The Discipline Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand and requiring the Member to complete a pre-approved course on anger management and effective student discipline before returning to teaching.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought disciplinary proceedings against a member for professional misconduct.

The member admitted to making inappropriate comments to students, treating female students differently, and giving expensive gifts to two female students, which made them uncomfortable.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and found the member guilty of professional misconduct, including failing to maintain professional standards and psychological or emotional abuse.

The Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand and requiring the member to complete a course on appropriate boundaries with students.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a retired member for professional misconduct.

The allegations involved the member using profanity, making racist and sexually explicit comments, and performing inappropriate physical stretching exercises in front of students.

The member did not attend the hearing.

The Discipline Committee found the member committed professional misconduct by failing to maintain the standards of the profession, verbally and psychologically abusing students, and engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee ordered a reprimand and required the member to complete coursework on professional boundaries before returning to teaching.

The Discipline Committee of the Ontario College of Teachers found the member guilty of professional misconduct.

The member did not attend the hearing.

The Committee ordered that the member appear to receive a reprimand and imposed terms, conditions, or limitations on her Certificate of Qualification and Registration, requiring her to successfully complete a pre-approved course on professional boundaries with students before commencing employment requiring a certificate.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a motion to schedule a discipline hearing for a Member facing allegations of a sexual relationship with a student, or alternatively, for an interim order prohibiting her from teaching.

The Member opposed scheduling, seeking an adjournment due to a serious medical condition.

The Discipline Committee ordered the parties to schedule a hearing by September 2017 and required the Member to provide an updated medical report one month prior.

The Committee dismissed the College's request for an interim teaching prohibition, finding it lacked jurisdiction to impose what amounted to an interim suspension on a preliminary motion.

The Discipline Committee of the Ontario College of Teachers held a penalty hearing for a retired member found guilty of professional misconduct for engaging in inappropriate and personal communications with young students via Facebook and email.

The member did not attend the hearing.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, a one-month suspension of the member's Certificate of Qualification and Registration, and terms and conditions requiring the successful completion of a course on appropriate boundaries before commencing any teaching position.

The member, a teacher, engaged in an inappropriate personal relationship with a student, which included numerous inappropriate electronic communications via social media.

Despite being warned by the school principal to end all communication with the student, the member continued the relationship and invited the student to her home.

The member pleaded no contest to allegations of professional misconduct, including psychological or emotional abuse of a student and failing to maintain the standards of the profession.

The Discipline Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a four-month suspension of the member's certificate, and the successful completion of a course on maintaining appropriate boundaries.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a retired member, Christopher Michael Spence, alleging professional misconduct for plagiarizing material in newspaper articles, blog entries, books, and a speech over an 11-year period.

The Discipline Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct, including failing to maintain the standards of the profession, issuing documents containing misleading statements, and engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct.

The Committee ordered the immediate revocation of the member's Certificate of Qualification and Registration.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a member who had been criminally convicted of sexual exploitation of a student.

The member did not attend the hearing.

The Discipline Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct for engaging in a sexual relationship with the student, which included kissing and inappropriate communication.

Given the serious nature of the sexual abuse, the member's abuse of trust, and the aggravating factors identified in the criminal proceedings, the Committee ordered the revocation of the member's Certificate of Qualification and Registration.