Teacher loses registration after using meth while caring for children

22 days. That was the length of the early childhood teacher's sobriety when she stood before the Teacher's Disciplinary Tribunal in September, a span far shorter than the six months of verified abstinence required for any return to the profession.

The tribunal, chaired by James Gurnick, ruled on Friday that the woman was not fit to return to teaching while battling an active addiction. The panel cancelled her registration and issued a formal censure. Gurnick noted that the cancellation is not the final end of her career. He stated she might apply for registration in the future, depending on the evidence of her recovery at that time.

The teacher admitted to using methamphetamine to cope with the stress of her job. According to the summary of facts, she consumed the drug between October 2023 and September 2024. She took it before work in the mornings and, on particularly difficult days, during her lunch break at her nearby home.

While under the influence, she remained responsible for the care and welfare of the learners at the center. She told the tribunal that the drug provided confidence and made her feel numb, helping her manage stressful situations. She also acknowledged that she failed to inform her employer of her drug use.

Concerns about her teaching practice emerged in June and July 2024. During multiple meetings with the center director, she addressed issues including forgetting to record feeding, sleeping, and nappy-change times. These oversights led to parental complaints. The director also raised concerns about her use of inappropriate language and communications with staff.

In November 2024, she signed a voluntary undertaking not to teach and has not worked in the classroom since. At the September hearing, she stated that she was sober and missed the children. She apologized for the danger she placed them in. She said she accepted the charges and viewed the cancellation of her registration as the only acceptable outcome.

The tribunal chair stated that the panel unanimously found her remorse and insight into the danger she had created to be genuine. He said the members admired her courage in attending and speaking openly. The panel noted her separation from her partner, who was also a drug user, as well as her relocation and engagement with support services. She was not ordered to pay costs due to her stark financial situation.