B.C. teacher who discussed vaping at school, advised where to buy flavours reprimanded
A substitute teacher on Vancouver Island who discussed vaping during class even after a principal asked him to stop has been given an official reprimand.
Terrence Andrew Makofka was found to have "engaged in inappropriate conversations with students" at school on more than one occaision, according to a consent agreement posted online by B.C.'s Commissioner for Teacher Regulation this week.
The vaping conversations took place in 2018 and 2019, while Makofka was working as a teacher on call in the Pacific Rim school district, which includes Port Alberni, Ucluelet and Tofino.
Administrators first learned the teacher had discussed vaping in class when a parent complained in December 2018, prompting a conversation between Makofka and the school principal.
But the following March, a student approached him to ask him questions about vaping, including "the amount of nicotine in his vape," and Makofka obliged him, according to the consent agreement.
"In the context of advising the student how he had just quit vaping, Makofka answered the student's question about tapering down nicotine levels and then told the student what his favourite vaping flavours were and where these could be purchased," it reads. "This contravened the direction given to him by his principal."
The Pacific Rim school district suspended Makofka from the teacher on call list for five days in September 2019. The B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation then reviewed the incident and decided to issue a formal reprimand.
Makofka had previous conduct issues in the district, including in June 2016, when he was suspended from the TOC list for four days over "failure to properly care for an injured student," according to the consent agreement.
In Decmeber of that year, he was suspended from the list another 10 days for not alerting administrators about a fight that broke out between two students and left one of the students injured.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
BREAKING 15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Mexican authorities say thieves killed 2 Australians and an American to steal their truck
Thieves killed two Australians and an American on a surfing trip to Mexico in order to steal their truck, particularly because they wanted the tires, authorities said Sunday.