The Alberta Teachers’ Association

2. Approved, for submission to the 2010 Annual Representative Assembly, three resolutions that propose to revise boundaries of several geographic districts and to put in place a process to review geographic district boundaries once a decade, beginning in 2012.

3. Approved 10 recommendations regarding provincial Association election practices.

4. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of four charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in conduct for which the teacher was convicted of indictable offences, thereby failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession and failing to treat a pupil with dignity and respect. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand on each of the four charges, declared the teacher permanently ineligible for membership in the Association and recommended permanent cancellation of the teacher’s teaching certificate.

5. Appealed to the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee the order of a hearing committee on the basis that the penalty was insufficient for the actions. The hearing committee found a teacher guilty of three charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in inappropriate electronic communication with a student, beginning an inappropriate relationship with a student that became a sexual relationship during the summer following the student’s graduation and continuing inappropriate electronic communication with a former student after graduation based on the teacher–student relationship established while the student was in school. The hearing committee imposed the penalty of a letter of reprimand on the first charge, declared the teacher ineligible for membership in the Association for one year on the second charge and imposed the penalty of a letter of severe reprimand on the third charge.

6. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of five charges of unprofessional conduct for sending an e-mail critical of a colleague to an associate superintendent prior to providing the colleague with a copy of the e-mail, contrary to article 14 of the Code of Professional Conduct; participating with other staff members in a public protest to ­indicate criticism of some of the school’s administrators, thus failing to relay the criticism only to proper officials; involving a student in a personnel matter, during which the teacher failed to treat the student with dignity and respect and consideration of the student’s circumstances; making comments critical of a colleague to one or more students, contrary to article 13 of the Code of Professional Conduct; and meeting with a student in a social setting on several occasions, thereby exceeding appropriate teacher–student boundaries and failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession. The hearing committee imposed the penalties of a letter of reprimand on the first charge, a letter of severe reprimand on the second charge, a letter of severe reprimand and fine of $500 on the third charge, a letter of severe reprimand on the fourth charge, and a letter of severe reprimand and fine of $500 on the fifth charge.

7. Received the report of a hearing committee, which found a teacher guilty of three charges of unprofessional conduct for engaging in a romantic relationship with a student, thus failing to treat the student with dignity and respect; engaging in sexual intercourse with a student, thus failing to treat the student with dignity and respect; and engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student, thus failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession. The hearing committee declared the teacher ineligible for membership in the Association; recommended cancellation of the teacher’s teaching certificate; and imposed a fine of $5,000, payable to the Association.

8. Received a report of the Professional Conduct Appeal Committee, which upheld the penalty imposed by a hearing committee and denied the appeal. The hearing committee had found a teacher guilty of two charges of unprofessional conduct for failing to treat students with dignity and respect and consideration of their circumstances and for not maintaining objective standards in the teacher’s assessment and discipline of students, thus failing to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession. The hearing committee had imposed the penalty of a letter of reprimand to address both charges.

9. Approved a frame of reference for Horizon School Division No. 67 teachers’ Economic Policy Committee.

10. Amended an administrative guideline to facilitate the rescheduling of future Teacher Welfare Area Conferences for the fall.

11. Approved the names of seven teachers for addition to the Curriculum Name Bank, which is used as a source of appointments to Alberta Education program, curriculum and student evaluation committees as the need arises.

12. Awarded Alberta Teachers’ Association Doctoral Fellowships in Education, the John Mazurek Memorial–Morgex Insurance Scholarship and the Nadene M. Thomas Graduate Research Bursary.

13. Updated administrative guidelines on the Alberta Teachers’ Association Doctoral Fellowships in Education, the John Mazurek Memorial–Morgex Insurance Scholarship and the Nadene M. Thomas Graduate Research Bursary.

14. Notwithstanding administrative guidelines, authorized the executive secretary to approve arrangements for field members and staff members of a subcommittee of the Diversity, Equity and Human Rights Committee to attend the Curriculum Seminar/Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council conference, scheduled for May 6–8, 2010, in Canmore.

15. Authorized an overexpenditure to allow Council members to attend the Curriculum Seminar/Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council conference, scheduled for May 6–8, 2010, in Canmore.

16. Directed that the Association’s website include more accessible links to the Real Learning First website (www.reallearningfirst.ca) and related materials.

17. Approved a revised educational accountability strategy map.

18. Named a field member to represent the Association at a June 3, 2010, roundtable discussion hosted by the Alberta School Boards Association Drug Awareness Committee and the Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities.

19. Authorized the purchase of a table package for Friends of Medicare’s 30th Anniversary Celebration Gala Dinner and Reception, scheduled for May 15, 2010, in Edmonton.