Thomas (Tom) Potter

The Member, a teacher, pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for verbally abusing and using profane language toward special needs students on multiple occasions.

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

The Committee also ordered that the summary of the decision be published with the Member's name, finding that the aggravating factors, including the vulnerability of the students and the repetition of the conduct after a prior warning, outweighed the mitigating factors.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought allegations of professional misconduct and incompetence against the member following three consecutive unsatisfactory performance appraisals.

The member pleaded no contest to the allegation of incompetence, and the misconduct allegations were withdrawn.

The Discipline Committee accepted the uncontested facts and found the member incompetent.

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered that terms and conditions be placed on the member's certificate, requiring him to successfully complete an Additional Qualification or Additional Basic Qualification course before resuming teaching.

The Member pleaded guilty to professional misconduct for failing to comply with a previous order of the Discipline Committee that required him to complete an Additional Qualification course in Special Education or an equivalent course.

The Committee accepted the Agreed Statement of Facts and Joint Submission on Penalty.

The Member was reprimanded and his certificate of qualification was suspended until he successfully completes the required coursework.

The Committee also ordered publication of the decision with the Member's name.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought disciplinary proceedings against a member for professional misconduct relating to boundary violations with a female student.

The member pleaded no contest to allegations of failing to maintain the standards of the profession, unprofessional conduct, and conduct unbecoming a member.

The Discipline Committee accepted the uncontested facts, which detailed the member providing his personal contact information to the student, having her visit his apartment, and driving her in his personal vehicle.

The Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct and accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a one-month retroactive suspension, and the completion of a boundary violation course.

The Committee also ordered that the member's name be published in the College's official publication to serve as a specific and general deterrent and to maintain public confidence in the profession.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a member for posting photographs of two grade [XXX] students on his personal social media without parental permission and for giving inappropriate gifts to students.

The member did not attend the hearing.

The Discipline Committee found the member guilty of professional misconduct, noting that his actions crossed professional boundaries and violated student privacy.

Given the member's prior discipline history for similar conduct, his failure to cooperate with the investigation, and the seriousness of the boundary violations, the Committee ordered the immediate revocation of his Certificate of Qualification and Registration.

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

The parties agreed to the withdrawal in exchange for the Member's undertaking to resign immediately, never seek reinstatement, and never teach again in Ontario.

The Discipline Committee granted the motion, finding that the withdrawal in exchange for the undertaking was reasonable and served to protect the public interest.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a member following his criminal convictions for sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching involving two young female students.

The member did not attend the hearing.

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

The Committee ordered the revocation of the member's Certificate of Qualification and Registration and directed that the finding and order be published with the member's name, emphasizing the egregious nature of the conduct and the need to protect the public and uphold the standards of the profession.

The Member, a teacher, faced a discipline hearing following a criminal conviction for assaulting a vulnerable student.

The Member had invited the student to his home, offered him money, and made sexual advances.

The Member pleaded no contest to allegations of professional misconduct, including physical and psychological abuse of a student.

The Discipline Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering the immediate revocation of the Member's Certificate of Qualification and Registration and publication of the decision with his name.

The Member, a teacher, pleaded no contest to allegations of professional misconduct arising from an incident where he physically moved a student out of his way to enter a gymnasium.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, completion of a classroom management course, and anger management counselling.

The Committee declined the College's request to publish the Member's name in its official publication, finding the conduct fell at the low end of the spectrum of professional misconduct and distinguishing it from more serious cases of physical abuse.