Chris Spence launches fight to get teaching licence back
Disgraced former TDSB education director calls punishment heavy handed
Disgraced former Toronto District School Board education director Chris Spence said he’s “ready to fight” against what he said is the “disproportionate” punishment handed down by the Ontario College of Teachers, which stripped him of his teaching licence over a highly publicized plagiarism scandal.
In a nearly half-hour long video interview conducted by former TDSB chair Bruce Davis as part of the “Let Spence Teach” campaign, Spence said it’s been a “tough few years” but that he’s “on the mend.”
Spence resigned from the TDSB in January 2013 after admitting he had plagiarized in an article for the Star about the Sandy Hook school shooting. Other pieces of his writing were later found to contain passages allegedly lifted from other works; the College of Teachers revoked his teaching licence in late 2016, the first time it has stripped certification from someone because of plagiarism.
In the video posted online Tuesday evening, Spence said he takes “full responsibility” for the Sandy Hook piece, but repeatedly states that he didn’t write it himself.
When pressed by Davis about who actually wrote the piece, Spence re- sponded, “I want to tell you,” but said he signed a non-disclosure agreement with the TDSB. He referred to the agreement several times in the video, saying that should the College grant him an appeal, he will testify under oath and name the actual author of the piece.
Spence had the opportunity to defend himself during the College hearing, but said in the video he didn’t at the advice of his doctors, due to medical issues.
TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird said the board is aware of the video and is looking into the matter. He declined further comment.
Spence said he will also defend his University of Toronto thesis, which has also come under scrutiny for plagiarism.
“I’ve made mistakes, I’ve taken full responsibility for those mistakes and I want to move on, because I believe I do have some talents and gifts that can help to support staff, students and communities (to) achieve their full potential,” Spence said.
Let Spence Teach co-chair Rob Davis said he hopes the video will help people realize “there’s been an injustice done to Chris Spence.”