Teacher decertified and loses his job after trying to lure student on Facebook

A former teacher has been ousted from the profession after attempting to lure a female student on Facebook.

Steven McKerrall of Fort Saskatchewan was also suspended Wednesday from his job teaching children and developing programs at the Telus World of Science when the organization learned of the sanction.

“We take these matters very seriously,” Telus World of Science president and CEO Alan Nursall said Wednesday.

McKerrall has been suspended with pay while the organization investigates, and will review its vetting practice for new hires, he said.

A three-page decision by an Alberta Teachers’ Association conduct committee, released to the Journal Tuesday, said the committee found McKerrall guilty of two counts of professional misconduct after a conversation he had online with a student in February 2016.

McKerrall was listed as the senior social studies and career and life management teacher at Three Hills School during the same school year.

The committee said McKerrall made repeated requests to have a relationship with the female student, and pressed her for pictures of her toes, promising a “reward” in exchange.

McKerrall “attempted to corrupt the student-teacher relationship into one that served his own gratification. The public and profession expect that teachers will not engage in conversations characterized by attempts to manipulate students for selfish purposes,” the committee said.

The committee said he initially denied the behaviour, “providing a fabrication that was later not sustained.”

Although he pleaded guilty to the charges, he did not co-operate with the association’s investigation and attempted to deflect blame, the decision said.

The document said the matter was reported to RCMP. Police did not answer questions about the matter by publication time.

The decision does not say how old the student was in February 2016. The association doesn’t disclose other details of cases outside of public hearings.

The superintendent of Golden

Hills school division, which runs the Three Hills School, was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

After a March hearing, the committee opted to declare McKerrall ineligible for membership with the teachers’ association, issued a letter of severe reprimand, and recommended Alberta’s education minister cancel his teaching certificate.

The minister cancelled his teaching certificate on June 5.

“This was a serious breach of professional obligation that warranted a severe and lasting penalty,” the conduct committee said.

McKerrall could not be reached for comment Wednesday.