Katie Rowen

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a discipline proceeding against a member for making repeated inappropriate and demeaning comments to students, including remarks displaying a discriminatory attitude towards homosexuals and persons with intellectual disabilities.

The member pleaded no contest to the allegations of professional misconduct.

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

The Committee further ordered that the findings and order be published with the member's name in the College's official publication, emphasizing that discriminatory comments warrant publication to serve as a specific and general deterrent.

The applicant filed an application alleging age discrimination after her long-term disability benefits were terminated at age 60 pursuant to a collective agreement provision.

The respondent police services board acknowledged the provision was unintentionally discriminatory and noted a new, non-discriminatory collective agreement had since been reached.

The parties resolved the application to their mutual satisfaction, and the Tribunal disposed of the matter.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought disciplinary proceedings against a member who was arrested for loitering naked outside the home of a former student.

The member pled no contest to allegations of professional misconduct, acknowledging that his off-duty conduct was unprofessional and unbecoming a member of the profession.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a three-month suspension, and conditions requiring psychiatric clearance and an ethics course before returning to teaching.

The Committee also ordered the publication of the member's name, finding that the serious nature of the off-duty conduct warranted transparency and general deterrence.

The Ontario College of Teachers brought a motion seeking leave to withdraw allegations of professional misconduct, including sexual abuse of a student, against the Member.

The parties agreed that a finding of professional misconduct was unlikely if the matter proceeded to a hearing.

The Discipline Committee granted the motion in exchange for the Member's undertaking to immediately resign, surrender her certificate, and never teach again in any public or private school in Ontario.

The College of Teachers filed a motion requesting permission to withdraw the allegations of professional misconduct against the member, Gregory Aubrey Carrega, as set out in the notice of hearing dated November 14, 2008.

The member was not present.

Upon considering the submissions of counsel for the College and counsel for the member, and on consent of the parties, the Discipline Committee granted the motion and allowed the College to withdraw the allegations.