Educator’s licence suspended a month after buying two jackets from student

A Saskatoon educator who bought two jackets from a student has had her teaching licence suspended for a month and will have to pay $5,000 following a decision by the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board (SPTRB) made public on Thursday.

According to a decision posted on the SPTRB’s website, Lisette Denis was found guilty of professional misconduct in April 2017 after buying two Helly Hansen jackets for $175 from a student, listed in the decision only as “Student A,” while she was working as principal at Saskatoon’s Community Learners’ High School.

The decision said the SPTRB discipline committee found that Denis “should reasonably have suspected” that Student A may be involved in selling stolen goods and concluded that she received a “personal benefit” as a result of the transaction. A penalty hearing took place in May 2017.

It explained the committee considered several factors when outlining its punishment, including the fact there was evidence that Denis “cared about student A and continued to assist him even after leaving the school.”

An example provided in the decision explained that Denis even tried to help the student enrol in post-secondary classes.

The committee also considered the fact there was no evidence of any past misconduct by Denis in its decision, saying it only occurred on “a single occasion.”

The number of times the offence occurred, the nature and gravity of the teacher’s conduct and the age and experience of the teacher were some of the factors considered, with the decision noting the fact Denis incurred “significant economic loss” was also taken into account.

“As a sad postscript the incident in question probably did not cause real harm to the student as he was already deeply immersed in that behaviour,” the decision stated.

Denis had submitted that an appropriate penalty for her action was a reprimand and a fine in the range of $500 to $800, while the professional conduct committee wanted Denis’ licence suspended for three to 12 months and a reprimand be recorded, with her

paying $15,000 to cover costs associated with the investigation and the hearing.

However, the discipline committee did not accept either submission and ordered her to pay $5,000, as the higher figure may be seen “as an obstacle to teachers that may consider defending themselves against allegations of misconduct.”

Denis has to cover the costs within 30 days of the decision, dated June 5, with the decision noting her month-long suspension would start at that time as well.

However, it indicated her licence shall remain suspended until costs are fully paid.