Image Credit: South Kamloops Secondary School
April 09, 2014 - 3:06 PM
KAMLOOPS — A South Kamloops Secondary School teacher began a two-week suspension this week following a November 2012 assault on a Grade 9 student.
The school district reported the incident Nov. 26, 2012, just over three weeks after Andrew Russell Coates used physical force on a student following an altercation with the student in the parking lot. Just a few days after, Coates was charged with assault.
The teen was among a group of students walking deliberately in front of his car who didn't respond to Coates when he requested to speak to him in the parking lot. Later that morning the student came to the woodworking class Coates taught, at which point Coates confronted the student.
Unhappy with the response from the teen Coates lost his temper and shoved the student by placing both his hands on the student's chest. This incident occurred in front of the rest of the class.
“That's the most chickenshit thing I've seen someone do,” the incident report shows Coates saying to the student. “Do you want to try to intimidate me now?”
Coates later apologized to the student and asked him if he was okay.
In April 2013 Coates pleaded guilty to assault. He was given an absolute discharge and required to pay a victim fine surcharge of $100. The district suspended him without pay for one month.
Under the Teachers Act, Coates began a two-week suspension period on Monday as part of the discipline decision for professional misconduct. He will also be required to complete anger management. His suspension runs through April 22.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014