Canadian teacher faces loss of license for "relationship"

Catherine Paul, a former Prince Albert, Saskatchewan teacher, will undergo a hearing to determine whether she will keep her teaching certificate.

According to the Prince Albert (Saskatchewan) Daily Herald,

Paul, 46, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation on July 31 after being arrested in May. The former high school teacher was charged in relation to incidents involving a then 14-year-old student. The mother of that student, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter, was happy to find out a hearing will be held regarding Paul's teaching certificate.

Paul was suspended from the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division without pay pending the outcome of her charges. However, on Aug. 13 Paul resigned from her teaching position. The victim's mother said she was upset that Paul was allowed to give her resignation, saying she should have been fired.

The mother thinks Paul should lose her teaching certificate so that she is not in a position of trust over young children. When the mother found out what had occurred between her daughter and Paul, she was very upset. "I was devastated, absolutely sick," said the woman. "It's crazy. She's a 45-year-old teacher. What was she doing?"

However, the girl consented to the sexual activity, details of which will be uttered at sentencing. The sole reason that Paul could be charged with sexual exploitation is the fact that she was a teacher with a student. The Canadian AOC is 14 when an adult is not in a position of trust. "So if this hadn't been a teacher and was just anyone off the street, she probably wouldn't have even been charged," said the mother.

The present Canadian Government had plans to raise the age of consent from 14 to 16 years old, due to concerns about exploitation.

(Update 12-16-07) On Tuesday, Catherine Paul was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

This is an excerpt from the Prince Albert (SK) Daily Herald:

Through letters of support written by family and friends, Paul has been described as an exceptional teacher. In this case, she let her emotions cloud her judgment, the court heard.

Crown prosecutor Ryan Claxton said a lengthy sentence was needed in order to deter this type of crime in the future."Mrs. Paul is an exceptional teacher, she is probably an exceptional person ... but that should not be the centre of sentencing," he told Judge Stephen Carter."As parents and members of the community, we should feel safe when we send our kids to school and wave goodbye as they get on the school bus. We have to send them to school knowing they will be taken care of, not being abused sexually."

The mother of the victim said the 18-month jail sentence sends that message. She said that while she and her family are now wary of people in authority and whether they speak the truth, she does feel safe sending her children to school."I give people the benefit of the doubt. You can't go through life terrified of what might happen."

Reference:

Ethics hearing to be held for former teacher

Lengthy Sentence For Teacher Needed, Says Prosecutor