The B.C. Commission for Teacher Regulation has disciplined a Mission teacher for pushing a student in her Grade 5/6 music class.
Kathie Fay Fairclough served her three day suspension without pay last June, for an incident which occurred on April 26, 2021.
The teacher was standing at her laptop when a student leaned around the computer to look at Fairclough’s screen.
Fairclough, in turn, was “angry and alarmed,” and reacted by pushing the student out of the way with one hand and telling them to respect her personal space, according to the discipline report.
The student lost their balance in their chair but did not fall over, and Fairclough did not ask if the student was alright. The teacher then quietly reminded the student to respect her personal space.
The incident occurred in front of the entire music class.
The Mission School District issued her a letter of discipline on May 27, and made a report to the commissioner.
The commissioner found that Fairclough failed to display appropriate behaviour expected of an educator, and failed to create a positive learning environment for students.
She has agreed to complete a training course on creating a positive learning environment by April 1, 2022.
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