A Penticton middle school teacher has been reprimanded for sending a "disrespectful" email to a parent and failing to maintain boundaries with a student.
Miko McGrady, a longtime School District No. 67 educator with a history of reported complaints dating back to 2010, is again subject to a consent resolution agreement published the by British Columbia Commissioner for Teacher Regulation.
The document, issued by acting commissioner Donnaree Nygard, reveals that the district submitted a report regarding McGrady in April 2023.
Citing two separate incidents, it states that McGrady received a letter of discipline over his behaviour during the 2022-2023 school year.
The first of which involves McGrady sending an email to a student's mother in February 2023. The consent resolution agreement later describes his comments in the email were "disrespectful."
While expressing concerns over the student's conduct in class, McGrady wrote that the student was wasting their own time and “warming a seat while distracting others," according to the report.
"McGrady’s email also questioned whether other options might be more beneficial, including an online math program or 'home-schooling'," the report added.
McGrady also said, according to the report, that he would take away "some or all" of the student's privileges if that was his child.
The student's mother felt they "looked like bad parents," as a result of McGrady's email, according to the consent resolution agreement.
In a separate incident, while teaching a Grade 8 class in March 2023, McGrady was subject to another complaint involving a trio of students.
According to the report, 'Student B' asked McGrady if they could go to the washroom.
The teacher granted the request but asked 'Student B' to leave their cell phone in their locker, which the student did not do.
"McGrady responded by giving Students C and D his personal cell phone, with the camera open, and sent them out to find and photograph Student B accessing their personal cell phone without permission," the consent resolution agreement states.
The two students sent out by McGraby found 'Student B' but did not take a photo using the teacher's cellphone, according to the report.
McGrady has held a valid teacher's certificate in B.C. since 1997, the report states.
It adds that School District No. 67 has previously raised concerns over McGrady's conduct in the classroom.
In 2010, the report adds, McGrady was suspended for two days without pay following allegations that he used inappropriate language and made inappropriate comments to students. The Penticton teacher entered into a consent resolution agreement in 2012, as a result of the allegations.
The district has also issued McGrady with letters of direction or expectations three separate times from 2018 to 2021.
