Cambridge high school teacher found guilty of professional misconduct, licence revoked

WARNING: This story outlines an alleged inappropriate and sexual relationship between a Cambridge high school teacher and a former student.

A former Cambridge high school teacher had her licence revoked after being found guilty of professional misconduct.

The ruling came from the Discipline Committee of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) on Thursday. The teacher worked within the Waterloo Region District School Board at the time of the allegations.

The allegations filed in a notice of hearing from the OCT said that the teacher allegedly “abused a student or students psychologically or emotionally.”

It is alleged that the teacher committed acts that, “would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional,” the ruling said.

The teacher also was accused of being “engaged in conduct unbecoming a member.”

The ruling said that during the 2013-2014 academic year, an alleged relationship was formed between the teacher and a female student. The student was identified as “Student 1.” It is alleged that the teacher had inappropriate actions with Student 1 while she was attending the school between Feb. 2014 to about June 2014.

The school where the teacher taught was not shared within the notice of hearing.

The allegations included having private and personal discussions with Student 1 over the lunch period, repeatedly complimenting her, telling the student her nipples were pierced, giving the student her personal phone number, driving the student in her personal vehicle on one or more occasions and telling the student to call her if she ever needed a ride to or from the school.

According to the notice said Student 1 graduated from the school on or about June 27, 2014. After graduation between July to about September 2014, it’s alleged that the teacher formed an inappropriate personal relationship with the student, which included inappropriate text messages.

It is alleged that the text messages included telling Student 1 about the teacher’s sexual orientation, sexual preferences and/or sexual history, including her current sexual practices with her husband and/or other women.

The notice also said the teacher allegedly sent photographs to Student 1 of the teacher’s breasts and other body parts in revealing clothing and/or naked.

The notice of hearing also said the teacher allegedly engaged in sending photographs of women doing yoga to Student 1 and making sexualized comments about them to the student. The teacher allegedly asked Student 1 to send her a photograph of Student 1’s breasts while sending compliments to the student about them, discussing their attributes and encouraging Student 1 to masturbate and discussing Student 1’s masturbation techniques with her.

It’s alleged that the teacher “discussed plans” for her and/or her husband to engage in sexual activity with Student 1 and/or telling Student 1 to keep their conversations secret and/or to delete the text messages.

The notice also alleges that the teacher took Student 1 out to breakfast in Cambridge to discuss whether the teacher and Student 1 should have sex. It states that Student 1 was invited to the teacher’s house on Aug. 29, 2014. Student 1 was offered an alcoholic beverage and allegedly engaged in sexual activity with the teacher.

The relationship allegedly continued between Sep. 2014 to about Oct. 2018. The teacher was alleged to have continued sending Student 1 text messages asking the student about her dating life, sexual experiences, and/or romantic interests. She allegedly asked Student 1 if they could “be together again” and asked if Student 1 told anyone about their sexual encounter and expressing fear that Student 1 would tell others about their sexual encounter with the student.

The notice of hearing outlines how Student 1 experienced adverse emotional and psychological effects as a result of the teacher’s conduct from 2014 to about 2015.

The document did not specify the age of the student throughout the alleged relationship.

The OCT changed the teacher’s status to inactive/non-practising on Apr. 23, 2020.