B.C. teacher suspended for 10 years over inappropriate relationship with student
The relationship evolved from school-related emails to romantic and intimate communications, said the consent resolution agreement
By Cheryl Chan
Last updated 8 hours ago
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A B.C. teacher has been suspended from teaching for 10 years after engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student, including exchanging messages with “sexual content” and physical touching.
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According to a consent resolution agreement released by the B.C. Teacher Regulation Branch, Robert Ian Collett taught the student in Grades 11 and 12 at a private school.
The correspondence began during the start of the student’s Grade 12 year and initially related to school matters. It later evolved into personal emails containing “romantic and intimate language.”
After the student graduated, the email exchange continued and included “sexual content.”
Within a month of the student’s graduation, Collett and the former student met at a restaurant where they discussed personal matters, and later at a park, where Collett hugged and kissed the former student.
Following the meeting, the student emailed Collett asking him not to contact them again. Collett subsequently sent the student a “goodbye” poem, said the agreement.
The school principal reported Collett to the commissioner in August 2023. Collett was dismissed for cause on Dec. 13, 2023.
Collett admitted his conduct was unprofessional and unbecoming a teacher. He agreed to a 10-year suspension of his teaching certificate.
In determining the appropriate penalty, the commissioner found that the inappropriate relationship stemmed from the teacher-student relationship and that Collett failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries, putting the student’s emotional safety and well-being at risk.
