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
4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Man ticketed after allegedly trespassing again at Drake's Bridle Path mansion to get his bike
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Biden calls Trump 'unhinged,' says 'something snapped' in former president after he lost 2020 U.S. election
U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday called Donald Trump “clearly unhinged” and claimed that “something snapped” in the former president after he lost the 2020 election.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Switzerland's Nemo wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest
Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with 'The Code,' an operatic ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing their nongender identity.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.