A B.C. teacher has been banned from the profession for life after it was found he had an inappropriate relationship with a student arising from use of an online dating site.
The B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, in an undated decision released July 25, found the unnamed teacher from an unidentified school district communicated with a minor on an online dating site, despite knowing the student was likely a student in the district.
The teacher did not identify himself as a teacher to the student, states the decision.
“The teacher developed an inappropriately close relationship with Student A, which included exchanging photos with student A; meeting alone with student A, including in a vehicle; and discussing personal information which included discussing sexual activity,” the decision said.
Further, it noted, the teacher paid the student to perform some work.
The district disciplined the teacher by suspending him March 6, 2019.
The commissioner’s decision said the teacher fostered an inappropriate relationship with a student knowing they were a vulnerable minor, failed to maintain appropriate boundaries with a minor and attempted to interfere with the district’s investigation by lying and causing others to lie on his behalf.
The commissioner said the lifetime ban from teaching in B.C. was an appropriate consequence in the case.
