A Lake Cowichan Secondary staff member was absent when school resumed after spring break, and RCMP confirm there was an investigation, but they won’t confirm the nature of that investigation.
Vice-principal Brent Allan Zimmer signed an undertaking not to practise, effective March 27, 2017, according to the online teacher registry on the B.C. Ministry of Education’s website.
It means his teaching certification remains valid but he’s promised not to teach pending the resolution of a matter before the Commissioner of Teacher Regulation or a hearing panel under the Teachers Act.
Lake Cowichan RCMP have confirmed they were part of the investigation.
“We received a report of possible misconduct by a school employee at the high school here,” detachment RCMP spokesman Sgt. Stu Foster said, noting they had concluded their investigation of the issue.
Foster went on to say he was not able to name the subject of the case as no criminal charges have been sworn.
“Our primary objective is to keep the students and citizens safe and at this time no criminal offence has occurred,” he said.
Officers worked with the school board on the investigation.
Board of education chair Candace Spilsbury could confirm Zimmer was not working but said little else.
“The board does not comment on personnel matters and will not be commenting further,” she said.
SD79 superintendent Rod Allen issued the same statment as Spilsbury.
The secretary for Lake Cowichan School principal James Doyle was not taking questions on the matter.