Teacher disciplined for calling student ‘Taliban’

A Sooke school district teacher has been disciplined for repeatedly referring to a student with a Middle Eastern and Muslim background as “Taliban,” along with other comments.

Matthew Shaun Pell also said such things as “don’t make her angry, otherwise she’ll bomb you” and “she’s going to blow everything up,” said a decision from the B.C. commissioner for teacher regulation.

Pell, who continues to work in the district at Royal Bay Secondary School, was teaching Grade 11 math in 2014 at Edward Milne Community School when the comments were made.

The comments made the student and her classmates “very uncomfortable,” said the decision.

Pell was issued a warning letter by the school district in May 2015 and the matter was referred to the Teacher Regulation Branch.

Pell admitted to the facts of the case, and that he had displayed professional misconduct.

“The Teacher Regulation Branch had a consent-resolution agreement with this teacher, where he agrees to what happened and agrees to some consequences,” said Sooke district superintendent Jim Cambridge.

Pell must complete the course Building Cultural Intelligence in Your Workplace by June 30.

Sooke Teachers’ Association president Ian Johnson said in a statement that the organization “expects members to treat all students with respect and dignity.

“There is no place for racism and discrimination of any kind in our inclusive schools.”

Johnson said Pell has admitted his error “and acknowledges that his behaviour was inappropriate.”