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A B.C. elementary school teacher with a history of being aggressive and frightening to students has been suspended for five days after he pushed a pupil.

According to a Nov. 1 B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation decision, elementary school teacher Kenneth George Costea pushed the student following an incident in the classroom in December 2021.

The decision says Costea felt the student was not paying attention to what he was saying so he called the pupil's name "loudly" three times.

He then "angrily approached" the student and placed his hands on the student's shoulders.

"(The) student attempted to move around Costea two more times. Costea’s response was to place his hands on (the) student and physically block (the) student from moving past him by pushing (the) student to the side," the decision reads. "During this exchange, Costea appeared angry and intimidating."

The decision says the student was "visibly upset."

Shortly afterwards Costea again singled out the student and yelled at them.

This caused the student to "become more upset."

The school district then suspended Costea without pay for one day.

The decision doesn't say where in B.C. the incident happened or what grade the student was in.

Costea has been teaching since 2000 and issues have previously been raised about his conduct.

In 2013 he was issued a letter reminding him that teachers must treat students in a respectful way, and "always be mindful of their individual rights and sensibilities."

Three years later he was issued another letter saying that teachers are to act with "integrity, maintaining the dignity and credibility of the profession."

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In 2017 two students reported being frightened of him.

Later that same year, Costea was issued a letter of discipline following an incident where he spoke to a student in an "unkind and aggressive manner."

"The (school) District reminded Costea that speaking to students in a disrespectful manner would not be tolerated," the decision reads.

Costea signed a consent resolution admitting to his behaviour and pushing the student. He was suspended for five days and has to complete the course, Creating a Positive Learning Environment.

The teaching regulator says the five-day suspension is justified because he'd previously been warned about the need to treat students in a respectful manner.

"Costea did not role model respectful behaviour of an educator for his students," the regulator said. "Costea failed to create a positive learning environment for his students."

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