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: Wrongly accusing a student of plagiarism
Outcome: No investigation undertaken

The parent of a Grade 9 student complained that the student's teacher falsely accused the student of using a translator on a French assignment. The teacher, alleging that the student plagiarized the assignment, deducted marks.

A panel of the Investigation Committee reviewed the complaint and instructed that it not be investigated because, even if true, the allegations were matters within the purview of the school board and did not relate to professional misconduct.

Case #2

Complaint: Allegations of inappropriate conduct and touching students
Outcome: Written caution

A board notified the College that a member was accused of inappropriate conduct and touching young students, as a result of which the Registrar initiated a complaint.

The allegations involved a member's conduct 20 years before with three students in Grades 3, 4 and 5. The three students were allegedly asked to sit on the member's lap and the member allegedly touched two of the students in a sexual manner.

The member, who was charged criminally some time later and who was acquitted at trial, denied the allegations. Following an investigation, the board had cautioned the member not to touch students.

The complaint was considered by a panel of the Investigation Committee who cautioned the member to follow recommendations given by the board that the member should:

• avoid situations requiring close physical contact with students
• not encourage or permit students to sit on the member's lap
• not encourage or permit students to visit the member's home.

Case #3

Complaint: Degrading and inappropriate comments to a student
Outcome: No investigation undertaken

The parent of a 12-year-old student complained about several of the staff at the student's school, including the student's home classroom teacher.

In 26 individual allegations, the parent alleged that the teacher had made inappropriate comments to the student such as calling the student lazy, telling the student to ignore other students who were interrupting the student's concentration, refusing a request to move other students, assigning the student to study hall after school when others were allowed to serve it during recess, overlooking the student for Halloween decoration responsibilities, caused a scene about the teacher's issues with the student, alleging that the student had not handed in an assignment and giving the student a zero mark and told the student to remove stickers immediately "before I take them off."

A panel of the Investigation Committee considered the allegations and instructed staff not to investigate the complaint because the allegations, even if true, did not relate to professional misconduct and were matters that could be addressed with the school board.