Investigations

The College investigates and considers complaints about members that relate to alleged professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity. If the Investigation Committee concludes that a complaint does not relate to one of those three matters or is frivolous, vexatious or an abuse of process, it does not proceed with the complaint.

Approximately four out of five complaints are not referred to the Discipline Committee but are dismissed or resolved by other means. Examples of cases considered by the Investigation Committee and not referred to a hearing are provided here.

Case #1

Complaint: Failure to provide appropriate support for a special-needs student and conduct unbecoming a member
Outcome of Investigation: No further investigation

The parent of a student who had been identified as having special needs complained that the member/principal failed to meet statutory obligations for the child's needs.

The parent said that the member failed to provide the support or direct the appropriate staff to initiate supports identified for the student, failed to meet the timelines in the legislation, caused psychological and emotional damage to the student, made false statements about the student's exceptionality, failed to consult with the parents, failed to take into consideration the IPRC recommendations and exhibited conduct unbecoming a member.

A panel of the Investigation Committee considered the complaint. It directed that it not be investigated since the special-needs allegations related to matters appropriately dealt with by the school board and the complainant had provided no detail regarding the allegations of conduct unbecoming, false statements and abuse.

Case #2

Complaint: Inappropriate discipline and inappropriate touching
Outcome of Investigation: Written caution

A school board notified the College of its concerns about a member and the Registrar initiated a complaint, based on the board's notification.

The board's concerns related to inappropriate discipline of students and inappropriate touching. The board notification referred to the member placing students outside in extremely cold temperatures as a form of punishment and inappropriately touching female students.

In respect to the second matter, the police and Children's Aid Society (CAS) had conducted a joint investigation and concluded that the incidents were accidental and lacked any intent on the member's behalf.

The complaint was considered by a panel of the Investigation Committee. The committee confirmed the findings of the police and CAS with respect to the second matter. The committee directed that the member receive a written caution regarding his inappropriate methods of disciplining students, directing the member to follow the instruction given by the board in its correspondence.

Case #3

Complaint: Inappropriate discipline by principal
Outcome of Investigation: Written caution

A parent of a Grade 3 student complained that the principal of the school had used an inappropriate method of discipline, following the use of age-inappropriate graphic sexual language by the young student.

Several young students complained to the lunchroom supervisor about the student's conversation with them, in which they said the student had expressed a desire to perform oral sex on the other students. The student did not deny the complaint but rather embellished the story when spoken to subsequently by the principal.

The principal took the student to the washroom and, according to the complainant, washed the student's mouth out with soap. The member, in response, stated that a small amount of soap was placed on a paper towel and handed to the student with instructions that the student should place it to the student's lips.

The matter was reported to and investigated by Family and Children's Services (FACS), who instructed the member not to repeat similar discipline techniques.

A panel of the Investigation Committee considered the complaint and directed that the member receive a written caution not to repeat this form of discipline and to follow the direction given in a letter to the member from FACS.