Lifetime ban for B.C. teacher who printed child pornography using school equipment
A B.C. teacher who had child pornography sent to his work email address and used school equipment to print the images has been banned from the profession for life, according to the province's regulatory body.
Details of the case were outlined in a consent resolution agreement between Luke Lawson and the British Columbia Commissioner for Teacher Regulation that was posted online Tuesday.
An investigation into Lawson was launched in 2020, when he was employed as a counsellor at an independent school. The name of the school is not provided, nor is information about which district it is in.
In September of that year, according to the agreement, police searched Lawson's home, "where they discovered printed images of nude young girls, as well as further digital images on his work computer."
He was arrested that day and released with conditions, including not to be in contact with any minors.
The next day, a search warrant was executed at the school.
"Police determined that pornographic images had been sent to his work account and printed at the school and sent to his work email," the agreement continues. Lawson was suspended that day.
None of the young people in the images were students, the agreement notes, saying the photos came from "nudist and naturalism websites."
In November of 2021, Lawson pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography. In 2022, he was sentenced to four months in jail followed by 18 months of probation, according to the agreement.
Lawson agreed to the lifetime ban on teaching, which the commissioner determined was an appropriate consequence given the seriousness of the misconduct.
"Lawson failed to act ethically and undermined the credibility of the teaching profession by violating laws that protect children from sexual exploitation," the agreement reads.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.