A Vancouver high school teacher has been reprimanded for yelling at one of his students and telling them they were doing poorly in front of classmates, and for making comments about three others poking fun at their nationalities.
Bruce David Russell signed a consent resolution agreement with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation that was posted online Tuesday.
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In the agreement, Russell admits to professional misconduct over a series of interactions with students in fall 2022:
• A Grade 8 student told Russell they had to leave early for a student council meeting and presented a dismissal slip. Russell raised his voice, said the student’s apology wasn’t accepted, and told the student in front of classmates that they were doing poorly. The student reported “feeling embarrassed and afraid to attend Russell’s class.”
• Russell told an international student in Grade 9 “to put your head up, this is Canada, not the Philippines” when the student put their head down on their desk.
• He said to another international student from Asia: “You must be tired from staying up all night doing karaoke.”
• About a Mexican student, Russell said to the class: The student “is absent because (the student) is probably back in Mexico.”
• Russell called two female Grade 9 students “darling” and said in front of the class that they had “blossomed.” Russell claimed he meant they had blossomed academically, but that wasn’t made clear to the class.
The school district issued Russell a letter of discipline in April 2023 and reported the behaviour to the commissioner.
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The district had earlier met with Russell and asked him “to be mindful of the manner in which he addressed students, and to be particularly mindful when interacting with racialized minorities.”
The commissioner reviewed the incidents and determined Russell’s behaviour amounted to professional misconduct. Russell agreed to a reprimand and to take a course on maintaining professional boundaries.
The decision was made because “Russell did not create an emotionally safe and positive learning environment;” had been spoken to earlier about similar conduct; and did not model the “diversity, inclusion and respect for different values that the district expects and promotes.”
The agreement noted Russell had expressed regret for his conduct.
source: https://vancouversun.com/news/vanco...for-racially-insensitive-comments-to-students
archive: https://archive.md/M16Mp
Bruce David Russell signed a consent resolution agreement with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation that was posted online Tuesday.
Article content
In the agreement, Russell admits to professional misconduct over a series of interactions with students in fall 2022:
• A Grade 8 student told Russell they had to leave early for a student council meeting and presented a dismissal slip. Russell raised his voice, said the student’s apology wasn’t accepted, and told the student in front of classmates that they were doing poorly. The student reported “feeling embarrassed and afraid to attend Russell’s class.”
• Russell told an international student in Grade 9 “to put your head up, this is Canada, not the Philippines” when the student put their head down on their desk.
• He said to another international student from Asia: “You must be tired from staying up all night doing karaoke.”
• About a Mexican student, Russell said to the class: The student “is absent because (the student) is probably back in Mexico.”
• Russell called two female Grade 9 students “darling” and said in front of the class that they had “blossomed.” Russell claimed he meant they had blossomed academically, but that wasn’t made clear to the class.
The school district issued Russell a letter of discipline in April 2023 and reported the behaviour to the commissioner.
Article content
The district had earlier met with Russell and asked him “to be mindful of the manner in which he addressed students, and to be particularly mindful when interacting with racialized minorities.”
The commissioner reviewed the incidents and determined Russell’s behaviour amounted to professional misconduct. Russell agreed to a reprimand and to take a course on maintaining professional boundaries.
The decision was made because “Russell did not create an emotionally safe and positive learning environment;” had been spoken to earlier about similar conduct; and did not model the “diversity, inclusion and respect for different values that the district expects and promotes.”
The agreement noted Russell had expressed regret for his conduct.
source: https://vancouversun.com/news/vanco...for-racially-insensitive-comments-to-students
archive: https://archive.md/M16Mp
