Discipline Panel Decisions Panels of the Discipline Committee ordered the summaries of recent disciplinary cases to be published in Professionally Speaking. Member: Richard Grant
Wolff A panel of the College’s Discipline Committee held a public hearing on February 10 into allegations of professional misconduct against Richard Grant Wolff, 40, of Kingston. Wolff was certified to teach in 1984 and was employed as a teacher by the Frontenac County Board of Education – now the Limestone District School Board. He chose not to attend or be represented at the hearing. The allegations of professional misconduct against Wolff included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, abusing students physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, failing to comply with the Education Act, contravening laws that are relevant to his suitability to hold Certificates of Qualification and Registration, committing acts that would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member. The panel heard six students testify that they were sexually assaulted by Wolff when they were between the ages of 10 to 16. The panel also heard evidence of Wolff making inappropriate comments to students, inviting students to sit on his lap and kissing them or pinching their backsides and encouraging female students to change into their gym clothes in the classroom. As well, the panel heard of the member's temper – throwing chairs and erasers, tipping over desks and calling students stupid. Wolff was charged with 17 sex-related offences – including sexual assault, touching for a sexual purpose and invitation to touch – under the Criminal Code of Canada. He was found guilty on five counts and sentenced to 18 months in jail plus three years probation. The panel found Wolff guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his Certificates of Qualification and Registration revoked. The decision of the panel appears on the College’s public register. Member: Glenn John
Byford The College’s Discipline Committee held a public hearing on July 5 into allegations of professional misconduct against Glenn John Byford, 39, of Sudbury. Byford was certified to teach in 1990 and was employed as a music teacher by the Rainbow District School Board and its predecessor, the Sudbury Board of Education. Byford chose not to attend or be represented at the hearing. The allegations of professional misconduct against Byford included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, abusing students physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, failing to comply with the Education Act, contravening laws that are relevant to his suitability to hold Certificates of Qualification and Registration, committing acts that would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member. The Discipline Committee’s panel heard evidence that Byford was sexually involved with a Grade 10 female student over a period of three years. He also made inappropriate telephone calls of a sexual nature to students. Byford pleaded guilty in April 1997 of sexual exploitation of a minor and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and 18 months probation following his release from prison. He was also ordered not to teach anyone under the age of 18. Byford agreed that his behaviour constitutes professional misconduct and that his Certificates of Qualification and Registration should be revoked. The panel found Byford guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his Certificates of Qualification and Registration revoked immediately. The decision of the panel will appear on the College’s public register. Member: Robert Knott A panel of the College’s Discipline Committee held a public hearing on July 5 into allegations of professional misconduct against Robert Knott, 54, of Curve Lake. Knott was certified to teach in 1994 and is a teacher with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. He chose not to attend or be represented at the hearing. The allegations of professional misconduct against Knott included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, failing to comply with the Education Act, contravening laws that are relevant to his suitability to hold Certificates of Qualification and Registration, committing acts that would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member. Knott was found guilty in January 1996 of refusing to take a breathalyzer test and was sentenced to 21 days in jail plus a probation period of three months during which he was to abstain from alcohol. His driver's licence was also suspended for two years. On November 11, 1996, Knott admitted to his school principal and the board's superintendent that he drove students to a soccer game while his licence was under suspension. He received a 10-day suspension without pay for the incident. The panel also heard that Knott pleaded guilty in March 1999 to a charge of unlawfully communicating with another person for the purpose of obtaining the sexual services of a prostitute. The incident occurred in November 1998. He was given a conditional discharge with probation for a period of 12 months. The board terminated Knott’s teaching contract for cause in February 1999. The panel found Knott guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his Certificates of Registration and Qualification suspended for three months. The decision of the panel appears on the College’s public register. Member: John Frederick
Hopley A panel of the College’s Discipline Committee held a public hearing on July 20 into allegations of professional misconduct against John Frederick Hopley, 40, of Newmarket. Hopley was certified to teach in 1988 and was employed as a teacher by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board – formerly the Dufferin-Peel Roman Catholic Separate School Board. He attended the hearing and was represented by counsel. The allegations of professional misconduct against Hopley included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, abusing students physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, failing to comply with the Education Act, contravening laws that are relevant to his suitability to hold Certificates of Qualification and Registration, contravening a law and causing a student under his supervision to be put at risk, committing acts that would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member. The panel heard evidence that Hopley engaged in an inappropriate relationship – which included sexual intercourse – with a student between September 1995 and September 1996. The student was in Hopley’s classes and was also involved in extracurricular activities supervised by him. Hopley was charged with sexual exploitation in September 1996 and dismissed from his employment with the school board in October of the same year. In November 1998, Hopley pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual exploitation and was sentenced to a 12-month conditional sentence to be served in the community. The conditions attached to the sentence included requirements that Hopley have no association with any female under the age of 18 unless accompanied by an adult, that he report to his psychiatrist within 90 days and pay $1,000 to an educational charity. Hopley agreed that his behaviour constitutes professional misconduct. The panel found Hopley guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his Certificates of Qualification and Registration revoked. The decision of the panel appears on the College’s public register. Member: Richard Michael
Costello A panel of the College’s Discipline Committee held a public hearing on July 17 into allegations of professional misconduct against Richard Michael Costello, 43, of Kitchener. Costello was certified to teach in 1988 and was employed as a teacher by the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. He chose not to attend the hearing and was represented at the hearing by a friend. The allegations of professional misconduct against Costello included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, abusing students physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, failing to comply with the Education Act, contravening laws that are relevant to his suitability to hold Certificates of Qualification and Registration, committing acts that would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member. The discipline panel heard evidence that Costello touched a 15-year old male student for sexual purposes in August 1999. The student was working for Costello at the time and was about to resume school in Costello’s class. The student was also involved in extracurricular activities supervised by Costello. Costello was charged in August 1999 and pleaded guilty in October to a charge of sexual exploitation under the Criminal Code of Canada. He was sentenced to a four-month conditional sentence to be served in the community and a probation period of one year. He was also ordered not to be alone with a child under the age of 18. The school board also terminated his employment in October. In a statement of facts submitted to the panel, Costello agreed that his behaviour constitutes professional misconduct. The panel found Costello guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his Certificates of Qualification and Registration revoked. The decision of the panel appears on the College’s public register. Member: Crispian
Manfred Wolfgang Kohl A panel of the College's Discipline Committee held a public hearing on September 21 into allegations of professional misconduct against Manfred Kohl, 51, of Chatham. Kohl was certified to teach in 1974 and was employed as a teacher by the Lambton-Kent District School Board. He chose not to attend or be represented at the hearing. The allegations of professional misconduct against Kohl included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, abusing students physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, failing to comply with the Education Act, contravening laws that are relevant to his suitability to hold Certificates of Qualification and Registration, committing acts that would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonorable or unprofessional, engaging in conduct unbecoming a member and displaying a lack of knowledge, skill or judgement or a disregard for the welfare of students. The panel heard that Kohl had sexual relations at the school with a female student under the age of 18 and took pornographic images of that sexual activity. In June 1999, Kohl pleaded guilty to making child pornography under the Criminal Code of Canada and received a sentence of six months less nine days. He wrote to the College admitting to the sexual relations with the student and agreeing to the revocation of his teaching certificate. The panel found Kohl guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his Certificates of Qualification and Registration revoked immediately. The decision of the panel appears on the College’s public register. Member: Paul William
Tweedie A panel of the College’s Discipline Committee revoked the Certificates of Qualification and Registration of Paul William Tweedie following a penalty hearing held in January. The panel found Tweedie guilty of professional misconduct at a public hearing held on September 27, 1999 and agreed to hold a penalty hearing at a later date to allow Tweedie the opportunity to attend. Tweedie, a 15-year veteran teacher from Central Ontario, was in jail at the time. He chose not to attend the January penalty hearing. The finding of professional misconduct was originally published without the name of the member in the December 1999 issue of Professionally Speaking. The finding of the panel appears on the College’s public register. Member: D.A. A panel of the College's Discipline Committee held a public hearing on August 24 into allegations of professional misconduct against D. A., 39, of Cobourg. D.A. was certified to teach in 1985 and was employed as a teacher by the Northumberland Clarington Board of Education, now the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. He attended the hearing and was represented by counsel. The allegations of professional misconduct against D.A. included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, abusing students physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, failing to comply with the Education Act, performing acts that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional, and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member. The member acknowledged that he made inappropriate comments to various members of his classes, male and female, that may constitute professional misconduct. He also acknowledged that students may have considered his conduct inappropriate and offensive and unbecoming a member. The member was disciplined by his former employer, the Northumberland Clarington Board of Education – now Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. The board has not received any complaints since the spring of 1997 in respect of his conduct. The panel found D.A. guilty of professional misconduct on two counts – failing to maintain the standards of the profession and engaging in conduct unbecoming a member. The panel ordered D.A. to be assessed by a psychologist or psychiatrist acceptable to the College and take any program, education or treatment directed, if any. The College will lift the condition upon notification by the psychologist or psychiatrist that D.A. has completed the program, education or treatment required, if any. The decision of the panel appears on the College's public register. Member: R.C. A panel of the College’s Discipline Committee held a public hearing on September 22 into allegations of professional misconduct against R.C., 29, of Etobicoke. R.C. was certified to teach in 1997 and was employed as an occasional teacher by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. He chose not to attend or be represented at the hearing. The allegations of professional misconduct against R.C. included failing to maintain the standards of the profession, abusing students physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically or emotionally, failing to supervise adequately a person or persons under his professional supervision, failing to comply with the Education Act, committing acts that would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonorable or unprofessional, engaging in conduct unbecoming a member and displaying a lack of knowledge, skill or judgement or a disregard for the welfare of students. The panel heard evidence that between October 1998 and February 1999, R.C. developed an inappropriate relationship with a female student at the secondary school where he taught. The student testified that R.C. encouraged her to meet with him privately in a locked classroom, drove her off the school premises without parental permission, asked her to remove her shirt and brassiere and invited her to go to a hotel with him. The student also testified that R.C. touched her on the thigh. The panel found R.C. guilty of professional misconduct and ordered his Certificates of Qualification and Registration revoked immediately. The decision of the panel appears on the College's public register. |
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