Governing Ourselves

Governing Ourselves informs members of legal and regulatory matters affecting the profession. This section provides updates on licensing and qualification requirements, notification of Council resolutions and reports from various Council committees, including reports on accreditation and discipline matters.

Dispute resolution

The College uses dispute resolution (DR) to help resolve complaints regarding members of the profession. DR is voluntary and without prejudice to the parties. The outcomes of the process are similar to those that would be expected following a full investigation and/or contested hearing.

Summaries of the cases reported here are based on facts derived from agreements signed by the College Registrar and the member, which are ratifed by the Investigation Committee. Publication is a provision of the agreements.


Case #1

Member: Wendy Lynn Liebing
Registration No.: 195170
Decision: Resigned-cancelled

The Investigation Committee ratified an agreement resulting in the resignation of Greater Essex County DSB principal Wendy Lynn Liebing and the immediate cancellation of her Certificate of Qualification and Registration after she admitted to mismanaging or misusing more than $50,000 in school and school board funds over three years.

The member admitted to using school and board money to fund activities and buy items that were not for students’ exclusive use, including personal groceries, hair colouring, rugs and a Burberry laptop bag. Liebing also used board funds to purchase items not required for board business.

Further, the principal admitted that she misappropriated a small amount of money when she asked to be and was reimbursed for personal purchases, and sold personal items to the school for profit such as books and a refrigerator.

The full committee decision and a notation about the resignation and cancellation appear online at oct.caFind a Teacher.

Although this matter was resolved through the DR program, the College Council is considering recommendations that these types of matters will not be disposed of through DR at the Investigation Committee stage in the future, but referred for a public hearing.


Case #2

Complaint: Making inappropriate comments to students
Outcome of DR: Written admonishment and course on classroom management

The Investigation Committee admonished a school administrator, in writing, for making inappropriate comments to students, including telling a student to “shut up” and making comments that were interpreted as questioning students about their sexuality.

The committee ratified a memorandum of agreement in which the member acknowledged the conduct and admitted that she had behaved in an inappropriate manner. The member submitted her resignation for retirement to the school board, and agreed to complete a course covering classroom management, including effective discipline techniques, before seeking or engaging in employment requiring a certificate of registration and qualification.


Case #3

Complaint: Giving hints about the contents of an upcoming EQAO test
Outcome of DR: Written caution and course relating to ethics

The Investigation Committee cautioned an elementary school teacher in writing for giving hints to students about the contents of an upcoming EQAO test by writing similar questions on the homework board prior to the test.

The member admitted taking these actions. The committee ratified a memorandum of agreement in which the member agreed to be cautioned in writing and complete a course of instruction relating to ethics.


Case #4

Complaint: Allowing students to drink while on a trip abroad, failing to per­form bed checks and permitting people she met at a bar to come to her hotel balcony
Outcome of DR: Written admonishment

The Investigation Committee admonished a secondary school teacher in writing for inadequate student supervision, allowing students to consume alcohol, and permitting people she had met at a bar to come to her hotel balcony.

The committee ratified a memorandum of agreement in which the member admitted to taking these actions, recognized that her conduct was inappropriate, and agreed to be admonished in writing.

The member had been reprimanded and suspended by the school board previously for the same incident and ordered to complete a boundaries course. The board further prohibited the member from leading any overnight excursions for two years, after which she would only be approved to supervise an overnight excursion with another teacher approved by the principal.