Teacher suspended after charges laid

A Brocket elementary school teacher charged with child exploitation offences has been suspended from teaching and barred from Peigan board of education property.

“The safety and wellbeing of our Piikani Nation students and children is our highest priority,” states a news release issued by the board Monday. “PBOE wishes to assure parents, families and communities that we are, and will be diligent in, keeping our Piikani children thriving while attending our schools.”

Mark Anderson, 44, of Pincher Creek, has been charged with possessing, accessing and distributing child pornography. He was arrested Thursday following an investigation by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team Internet Child Exploitation Unit with the assistance of Pincher Creek RCMP, Piikani Nation RCMP and Lethbridge Police Service.

Anderson was teaching at Napi's Playground Elementary School and was also involved in various youth-oriented community programs on the Piikani Nation Reserve, including minor sports and Scouts Canada.

The investigation began in July 2017 when ICE received a referral from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children concerning a social media user uploading child sexual exploitation materials. Police said there isn’t anything to indicate that any of the images discovered so far originated in southern Alberta.

Anderson is expected to appear in court on Jan. 30.

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