A teacher in northern B.C. has been suspended by B.C.'s Commissioner for Teacher Regulation after taking students off school grounds several times without permission, and driving them around without enough seatbelts while running errands.
Commissioner Howard L. Kushner ruled Sept. 22 that Fort St. John teacher Isabella Miron Piazza “failed to model behaviour expected of an educator” when she took groups of students on three separate trips in June 2020 to “pick up treats” from various restaurants.
The first time it happened was on June 17 when she brought four Grade 6 students with her to Subway. It happened again on June 18 when she brought five Grade 6 students to an unnamed restaurant, and again on June 24 when she brought five students with her to another two unnamed restaurants.
Not all of the students were wearing their seatbelts during the June 18 and 24 trips, and Miron Piazza told the students to keep their outings “a secret,” the Kushner ruled.
Miron Piazza failed to inform and obtain the parents' and school district consent to take the students off school property, and failed to follow COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, Kushner ruled.
“As there were not enough seatbelts in the backseat for four students, Miron Piazza told them that they would have to duck if they saw a police officer,” Kushner wrote in his ruling.
“When they returned to the School, (she) told the students that their outing was a secret and that they should not tell anyone.”
The school was not named in the ruling. Kushner notes that in one instance Miron Piazza and the students "walked to Canadian Tire" to pick up her car before taking them for a ride.
The school district reported the incidents to the Commissioner, and suspended Miron Piazza for three days without pay for breach of policy, served in September.
Miron Piazza admitted to her conduct. Kushner suspended her for one day, to be served in November.
Read the full ruling below:
Miron Piazza - B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation by AlaskaHighwayNews on Scribd
