Ontario College of Teachers Protects Student Privacy at the Supreme Court of Canada

April 20 2018

College intervenes to provide its perspective on student privacy and what constitutes acceptable professional conduct for teachers

The Ontario College of Teachers is intervening to provide its perspective of students’ privacy at Canada’s highest court.

In the appeal of a criminal case involving a teacher who was charged and acquitted in two courts with voyeurism after using a pen camera to take secret videos of his female students at school, the College is intervening at the Supreme Court to address student privacy in learning environments

The College has a legislated responsibility to protect students and is providing all necessary background and information so that the Court can make an informed decision on the appeal.

“Schools should be safe places in which students’ privacy is protected,” says Michael Salvatori, OCT, CEO and Registrar, Ontario College of Teachers. “We want to make sure that the law is clear about when students and teachers can reasonably expect privacy at school.”

During the intervention, the College will provide the Court with:

• its perspective on what student privacy looks like in safe learning environments, such as schools, and; 
• what constitutes acceptable and professional conduct between a teacher and a student.

“Care, trust, respect and integrity are the cornerstones of the ethical standards that guide the teaching profession,” says Angela De Palma, OCT, Chair of Council, Ontario College of Teachers. “We want the Court to understand that all teachers are expected to meet and uphold these standards.”

All Ontario teachers working in publicly funded primary and secondary schools must be licensed by the College.

When and where

April 20 at 9:30 a.m. 
Supreme Court of Canada: 301 Wellington Street, Ottawa

For reference

Supreme Court of Canada, Case Summary, R. v. Ryan Jarvis

Please note: The Supreme Court case is separate and distinct from a pending hearing that will be held by the College involving the member.

About the Ontario College of Teachers

The Ontario College of Teachers licenses, governs and regulates the profession of teaching in the public interest. It sets standards of practice and ethical standards, conducts disciplinary hearings and accredits teacher education programs affecting its more than 243,000 members in publicly funded schools and institutions across Ontario. The College is the largest self-regulatory body for the teaching profession in Canada.

For more information, please contact:

Olivia Yu
Senior Communications Officer,
416-961-8800, ext. 620, Toll-free 1-888-534-2222, ext. 620, oyu@oct.ca

Brian Jamieson
Senior Communications Officer,
416-961-8800, ext. 655, Toll-free 1-888-534-2222, ext. 655, bjamieson@oct.ca