A former teacher in Sault Ste. Marie has pleaded no contest to allegations that he demonstrated “shockingly poor judgment” by physically, verbally and psychologically abusing students as an employee at a French Catholic school board, according to a recent decision handed down by the Ontario College of Teachers.
As the result of a discipline hearing held Feb. 5, Mario Vallieres has agreed to resign as a member of the teachers college and to never apply for reinstatement. He has also agreed to not hold a position that would require a certificate of qualification and registration from the college.
Vallieres — who was employed as a teacher at Conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario during all of the incidents — initially resigned from the Ontario College of Teachers while disciplinary proceedings were underway.
One of the allegations of professional misconduct dates as far back as the early 2000s, when Vallieres bought an undisclosed birthday gift for a female student.
Another allegation revolves around a September 2019 incident where the teacher is accused of grabbing a male student by the arm in order to make him leave the classroom after refusing to do so.
It’s also alleged that Vallieres made a series of inappropriate comments to a classroom of students in October 2019, including:
- “If there are any punks in this class, you can just leave now,” or words to that effect;
- “I dragged you out last time, I can do it again,” or words to that effect; and
- “Yeah, that’s a threat,” or words to that effect.
But the inappropriate behaviour towards students doesn’t end there: In 2021, Vallieres touched the buttocks of a student twice in one day — first, to push her towards the blackboard, and then again to lead her back to the classroom.
The panel determined that Vallieres touching the buttocks of the student had a “detrimental effect on her psychological well-being, as she became afraid of the member as a result of the incident.”
While the panel noted there was no allegation claiming that the touching was sexual in nature or for sexual pleasure, it found there was no reason for Vallieres to have “any contact whatsoever with the students,” and the fact that he engaged in physical contact with a pair of students was “particularly egregious and inappropriate” and constituted physical abuse.
“His conduct violated the professional boundaries that should exist between teacher and students,” the college wrote in its decision, which is published online. “Teachers are expected to provide a safe environment for students and to inspire confidence through their professional behaviour.”
The panel also found that Vallieres abused students psychologically or emotionally, contrary to a subsection of the Ontario College of Teachers Act that deals with professional misconduct.
The former teacher will receive a written reprimand that will also be recorded on the Register of the Ontario College of Teachers. Vallieres will also have his certificate of qualification and registration suspended for a period of seven months effective Feb. 15, which the teachers college has the authority to do even if a member of the college has resigned.
“The seven-month suspension sends a message to the profession as a whole that engaging in such conduct will result in a long and severe suspension,” the panel wrote in its decision. “The suspension will serve as a specific deterrent to the member and a general deterrent to other members of the profession, making it clear that the kind of misconduct the member exhibited is unacceptable and will lead to a serious penalty.”
SooToday has reached out to Vallieres for comment.