Calgary teacher accused of sexual interference
One incident with student reported but it’s ‘possible there will be other victims’
A middle-school teacher is facing charges of sexual interference with a minor after he allegedly cornered and made advances on a student.
The teacher, Mikhail Kolesnikov, 35, allegedly arrived at Bob Edwards School, where he taught, intoxicated by alcohol on Oct. 25.
It was then that Kolesnikov allegedly cornered a student under the age of 16 in a classroom, making unwanted physical advances and lewd comments.
“The students immediately reported it to a teacher, and police were called,” said Staff Sgt. John Guigon from the Calgary police Child Abuse Unit. “Unfortunately, the suspect had left the premises before we got there.
“(The incident) seemed to be between classes. It was a very fluid situation that happened when kids were transitioning between classes.”
Witnesses reported to police that he also attempted to speak to several students.
Students in the school were quick to report the incident, Guigon said, adding that while there was surveillance footage from the school, it doesn’t show the alleged offences happening.
“As soon as this started happening, you can see on the video, in fact, a kid runs to grab a teacher. The teacher responds almost immediately and discovers a student with the alleged offender — it really happens very, very quickly.
“The students are very smart, really brave. (They) knew something was wrong (and) responded appropriately.”
Guigon believes there to be more victims from what he called an incident isolated to that day.
“We consider this an open investigation, so it’s quite possible there will be other victims. We are waiting for several to come forward — a lot of them we have already spoken to. We expect these charges will bring others forward.”
The victim, Guigon said, has been offered services through the Calgary Child Advocacy Centre.
“I can’t comment on anything they are involved in, but as far as we know they are doing well, as well as they can be,” Guigon said.
The sexual interference charge laid is a specific type of sexual assault, Guigon said.
“Sexual interference is really a specific type of sexual assault where the victim is a child under the age of 14,” he said.
“Sexual assault, in general, could be any type of touching that involves a sexual connotation — it could be as simple as an unwanted kiss on the cheek, a pat of a buttocks or significantly worse.”
The Alberta Teachers’ Association confirmed it is conducting a separate investigation into the matter and said Kolesnikov would face a disciplinary hearing under the Teaching Profession Act if he is found guilty by the courts.
Kolesnikov is a former teacher in Edmonton, Guigon said. A LinkedIn profile cited one Mikhail (Mike) Kolesnikov as a teacher with Edmonton Public Schools.
In May 2012, Postmedia quoted Kolesnikov as a music teacher for Greenview School, a K-6 elementary school in Edmonton’s Woodvale community. The article said he was only a teacher at the school for “a few weeks.”
Bob Edwards School has 345 students enrolled in Grades 6 to 9.
In a statement, the Calgary Board of Education said they are aware of the charges.
“The school fully co-operated with the Calgary Police Service during their investigation,” the statement read. “In accordance with the collective agreement, this employee is currently suspended with pay.”
Kolesnikov has been charged with sexual interference with a child under 16 and unlawful confinement. Guigon said Kolesnikov was charged Thursday and released with numerous conditions.