Robert Ian Collett, a teacher at an independent school in British Columbia, has been suspended from teaching for 10 years after engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a Grade 12 student. The relationship, which began with school-related emails, escalated to include romantic and intimate communications, and eventually physical contact, according to a consent resolution agreement released by the B.C. Teacher Regulation Branch.
Details of the Relationship
Collett taught the student in Grades 11 and 12 at the independent school. The correspondence started at the beginning of the student's Grade 12 year, initially focusing on school matters. It soon evolved into personal emails containing romantic and intimate language. After the student graduated, the email exchange continued and included sexual content.
Within a month of graduation, Collett and the former student met at a restaurant to discuss personal matters. They later met at a park, where Collett hugged and kissed the former student. Following this meeting, the student emailed Collett asking him not to contact them again. In response, Collett sent the student a goodbye poem.
Reporting and Consequences
The school principal reported Collett to the commissioner in August 2023. Collett was dismissed for cause on December 13, 2023. He admitted that his conduct was unprofessional and unbecoming a teacher, and agreed to a 10-year suspension of his teaching certificate.
In determining the penalty, the commissioner found that the inappropriate relationship stemmed from the teacher-student dynamic and that Collett failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries, putting the student's emotional safety and well-being at risk.
