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A Lower Mainland teacher has been suspended for a day after he "invaded" a student's personal space by reaching into the student's tool belt to retrieve a tape measure.

According to a Nov. 23 British Columbia Commissioner Teacher Regulation decision the teacher, Darrin James Ponak, made the student feel "very uncomfortable" and had his hand close to their groin area when he retrieved the measuring tape.

The decision says Ponak was teaching a woodshop class where the students were building a mock shed that included electrical wiring.

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The student was wearing a leather tool pouch with large pockets on each side and a small pocket in front.

The student was installing an electrical box with a classmate and Ponak wanted to check the measurements the students had made.

He asked them for a tape measure but neither student responded.

He then reached into the student's tool belt and retrieved the tape measure.

"(The student) reported feeling very uncomfortable having their personal space invaded by Ponak," the decision says. "(The student) could feel Ponak’s hand close to their groin area when Ponak retrieved the measuring tape."

Following the event, in May 2020 the school district issued Ponak a warning letter and told Ponak to complete a boundaries course.

The decision says, "Ponak failed to appreciate the emotional and physical impact of his inappropriate invasion of (the students) personal space."

The decision says the school district had "concerns" about Ponak more than a decade earlier.

In 2010, the school district issued Ponak a verbal warning and a letter of direction, reminding him that teachers cannot put their hands on students "in a manner that a reasonable person would consider as inappropriate."

In 2017, he was issued a written reprimand following allegations that he made inappropriate comments to students and made unnecessary physical contact with a student.

"Ponak was reminded of the District’s expectation that teachers exercise an appropriate duty of care towards students which takes into consideration their emotional and physical safety concerns," the decision reads.

Ponak agreed to a one-day suspension and that he would take the course Reinforcing Respectful Professional Boundaries.

In signing the consent agreement Ponak also had to agree not to make any statements that "contradict, dispute or calls into question" the terms of the consent agreement.

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