Former B.C. teacher sent messages with 'sexual references' to Grade 7 girls: regulator

A stock image of a man using a cell phone. (Source: Porapak Apichodilok/Pexels)

A former B.C. teacher committed misconduct when he sent inappropriate messages – including some with “sexual references and innuendo” – to girls while he was their Grade 7 teacher, according to the professional regulator.

Jeffrey Forned Mooney was employed at an independent school in West Vancouver in 2021 when the misconduct took place. He “relinquished” his teaching certificate that same year, according to a decision issued by a panel of the commissioner for teacher regulation.

That panel reached the “inescapable” conclusion that Mooney had committed professional misconduct.

“The commissioner submits that the tenor of the messages in large part are efforts by (Mooney) to establish a personal relationship with the students and the sexual innuendo in some of the messages raises the spectre of grooming,” the decision said.

“(Mooney) ignored his responsibilities to the affected students by communicating with them on personal matters such as their crushes and their sexual experience. He attempted to prompt them into sexualized topics causing discomfort for the students.”

Mooney did not participate in the hearing and the panel noted documents sent to Mooney’s last known address were returned as undeliverable and that a “skip tracer” hired to locate Mooney was unable to “ascertain (his) whereabouts.”

The first instance of misconduct related to a girl referred to as “Student A” throughout the decision and involved messages sent by Googe chat – often late at night. The decision includes quotes from the messages, in which the student repeatedly calls Mooney a “weirdo” in response to his messages.

Among the messages to this student was one where Mooney said adults are “the best” because “we can drive and drink and buy shit and have sex and do alllll the fun stuff.” In that exchange, Mooney also references the Cardi B song WAP.

When the student mentions the possibility of screenshotting the messages and showing them to a friend, Mooney says "Don't though" and "But actually don't I don't want to get fired," according to the decision.

Comments like those, the panel found, showed that Mooney was aware he was doing something he should not be doing.

“(Mooney) was clearly aware that his communications with the four students were inappropriate, as he cautioned them not to tell anyone about the messages,” the decision said.

Mooney’s messages to a second girl, referred to as “Student B,” also included ones where he told her all of their communication had to be “confidential,” the decision said.

Others included an exchange started by Mooney saying he was “so lonely” and then asking the girl who she “liked.” When she replied “I like myself” Mooney said “I like you too,” the decision said.

The third girl, Student C, also submitted screenshots of messages between her and Mooney. In them, Mooney asked several times who her “crush” was. Similar to his messages with the other girls, he told her not to tell anyone about their communication.

Mooney gave the fourth girl, “Student D,” his Instagram profile – telling her not to share it with anyone else. In his messages to her, Mooney said he was “disappointed” the student’s Instagram photos were not more “inappropriate,” the decision said.

"I only follow dirty shit though I don't post it so don't expect that [face with tears of joy emoji]," Mooney’s subsequent message said.

"I probably shouldn't talk like that with you [flushed face emoji],” said the next one.

All of the messages were sent in the same month – June 2021 – which the decision notes was the same month Mooney had entered into an “improvement plan” wherein he agreed to “maintaining professional relationships and boundaries with students at all times.”

Having found Mooney guilty of misconduct, the next step in the process is to determine a penalty. The harshest penalty possible is a cancellation of a teacher’s certificate.