DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE OF THE ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
ORAL DECISION AND ORDER
IN THE MATTER OF the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996 and the Regulation (Ontario Regulation 437/97) thereunder;
AND IN THE MATTER OF a discipline proceeding against Marc-André Coulombe, OCT, a member of the Ontario College of Teachers.
BETWEEN:
ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
– and –
MARC-ANDRÉ COULOMBE (REGISTRATION #422559)
PANEL: Stéphane Vallée, OCT, Chair Josée Landriault, OCT Marlène Marwah
HEARD: September 17, 2019
Christine Lonsdale, for the Ontario College of Teachers Lise Leduc, for Marc-André Coulombe Renée A. Kopp, Independent Legal Counsel
PUBLICATION BAN: Pursuant to subsection 32.1(3) of the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996, no person shall publish the identity of, or any information that could disclose the identity of, any person who is under 18 years old and is a witness in a hearing or is the subject of evidence in a hearing.
This matter was heard before a panel of the Discipline Committee (the "Panel") on September 17, 2019 at the Ontario College of Teachers (the "College") in Toronto.
Marc-André Coulombe (the "Member") did not attend the hearing but had legal representation. The Panel was advised at the outset of the hearing that the parties had entered into an agreement with respect to the hearing.
DECISION
Having considered the Agreed Statement of Facts and Plea of No Contest and the submissions of the parties, the Panel found that the Member engaged in acts of professional misconduct as alleged, contrary to Ontario Regulation 437/97, subsections 1(5), 1(7), 1(7.2), 1(11), 1(14), 1(15), 1(18) and 1(19).
PENALTY DECISION
The Committee accepts the parties’ Joint Submission on Penalty and makes the following order:
The Member is directed to appear before the Discipline Committee within six months following the date of the order to receive an oral reprimand which will be delivered in person at the offices of the College, at 101 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, which fact is to be recorded on the public register.
The Registrar is directed to suspend the Member’s Certificate of Qualification and Registration for a period of three (3) months, as of the 15th calendar day following the oral decision of the Discipline Committee in this matter, which suspension is to be recorded on the public register.
The Registrar is directed to impose the following conditions or restrictions on the Member’s Certificate of Qualification and Registration, which will be recorded on the public register:
(a) Within one hundred and twenty (120) days following the date of this order, the Member shall enrol in and successfully complete, at his own expense, a course pre-approved by the Registrar on classroom management and anger management that satisfies the following conditions:
(i) the Member shall provide a course provider approved by the Registrar with a copy of the Statement of Uncontested Facts and Plea of No Contest, the Joint Submission on Penalty filed as evidence at the hearing into this matter and the Decision and Reasons of the Discipline Committee;
(ii) after reviewing the documents mentioned in paragraph (i) above, the course provider shall submit to the Registrar, for his approval, a curriculum for the proposed course which specifically addresses the concerns of the Discipline Committee regarding the Member’s professional misconduct. The curriculum proposed by the course provider shall also specify the length of said course and its objectives;
(b) Within thirty (30) days following his completion of the above-mentioned course, the Member shall provide the Registrar with written proof from the course provider stating that:
(i) the Member has successfully completed the course and describing the Member’s progress in relation to the objectives of the course.
A written decision with reasons will follow.
Date: September 17, 2019
Stéphane Vallée, OCT Chair, Discipline Panel
Josée Landriault, OCT Member, Discipline Panel
Marlène Marwah Member, Discipline Panel