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A B.C. teacher who wrote a student's apology letter that described him as a "great teacher" has been suspended for one day.

According to an Oct. 31 B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation decision, high school teacher Andrew Duncan Nairn was teaching Grade 10 in 2021 when the incident occurred.

The decision says that a Grade 10 student "thought" they overheard Nairn talking to another teacher about one of their friends.

The student then told the friend what they thought Nairn had said about them.

Somehow Nairn learned of this and asked the friend what he heard.

The decision says Nairn then met up with the student he was thought to have been talking about and "appeared angry."

It's unclear as to why, but Nairn then made the student send an apology email.

"(The) student... reported that they felt pressured into making a written apology, to be sent by email, which Nairn drafted on (the) Student's... behalf," the decision reads. "Nairn also determined who should receive the apology and hit the 'send' button on the email himself."

In the email, Nairn included a rather flattering line about himself.

"Please know that Mr. Nairn is a great teacher and works hard to keep good working relationships with all his students," the decision reads.

The decision doesn't say where in B.C. the incident happened but says Nairn has been teaching for a little more than 20 years.

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Following the incident, in June 2021, the school district suspended Nairn for three days without pay and made him send a letter of apology to the student.

According to the decision, this is not the first time the school district has had issues with Nairn.

In 2018 he was issued a letter of expectation telling him to be "respectful and professional manner at all times."

"Consider and respond appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of others," the letter read adding, "Create and maintain an environment that is caring, inclusive and supportive of all students."

Fifteen months later he was issued another warning letter.

"(Nairn) made insensitive comments perpetuating racial stereotypes and used racially offensive terms to describe people with diverse backgrounds," the decision reads.

Nairn signed a consent agreement with the teaching regulator admitting to the incident regarding the apology letter.

As well as the one-day suspension, Nairn will also have to complete the course, Reinforcing Respectful Professional Boundaries.

"Nairn failed to model appropriate behaviour expected of an educator," the regulator said. "Nairn had been previously advised about the need to maintain a caring and supporting (sic) environment for all students."

READ MORE: B.C. teacher suspended for 'inappropriate comments' to students on social media

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