The Teaching Profession (Teacher Registration) Amendment Act (Bill 21) passed third reading on May 15, 2007.
As we reported earlier this year, Bill 21 amends the Teaching Profession Act to require the College of Teachers to maintain a publicly-accessible online registry of information about member discipline. The registry will identify teachers who have been subject to discipline by the College in the preceding five years. If the discipline was related to physical, sexual or emotional harm to a student or conduct or competence that breached College standards, the Registry will also record the disciplinary action and the reasons for it.
The new legislation also requires the College to maintain an employers’ registry which will record teacher discipline for ten years for use by school boards, authorities and bands that are considering employing College members.
The School Act has also been amended to create new criminal sanctions. Failure to report a suspension or dismissal, or any discipline of a teacher that involves physical harm, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or significant emotional harm to a student, will be a criminal offence.
(Click here for link to Bill 21)