College of Teachers Has Jurisdiction to Consider Disciplinary Action Against School Board

A recent decision of the BC Supreme Court has ruled that the College of Teachers has jurisdiction to consider disciplinary action against a school board administrator for hiring an uncertified teacher. In Ronald Dufault v. BC College of Teachers, the associate superintendent of human resources, unable to find a qualified teacher with BC certification, hired a teacher with an Alberta certification on the condition that she obtain certification in BC. The school board continued to employ her for the balance of her temporary contract without certification or a letter of permission after the BC College of Teachers declined to issue a certificate to her and denied her appeal. The College initiation of a disciplinary investigation against the associate superintendent and he applied for judicial review. In rejecting his application, the court ruled that the conduct in question was related to his conduct as a member of the College and was capable of being unprofessional conduct or conduct unbecoming a member. The issue fell within the statutory mandate and therefore the jurisdiction of the College.
(Click here for text of the judgment)