WATCH: Parents want to know why Victoria teacher found guilty of misconduct for an inappropriate relationship with a student is still in the classroom. Tess van Straaten reports.
Students at a Victoria high school are still being taught by a teacher found guilty of professional misconduct after an inappropriate relationship with a student.
“He’s still in the school,” the father of the teenage victim, who isn’t being named to protect his identity, said. “He’s suspended and he’s still in the school.”
From May to September of 2013, Victoria High School math and physical education teacher Robert Ammon saw the 15-year-old out of class, bought him presents, and sent him emails and text messages at all hours of the day and night.
READ MORE: Father breaks silence about Victoria teacher who had inappropriate relationship with his son
He told him the teen his soul needed to be saved and repeatedly professed his affection for the boy, even telling him he loved him in multiple emails.
“Why would he send emails telling my son, we need to find another way to communicate, maybe email from a different account so it can remain secret?” the concerned dad asks. “If what you’re doing is okay, then why is it a secret?”
Four years after the misconduct, the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) issued a five-month suspension on May 1.
Ammon’s misconduct was found to be “at the serious end of the spectrum for an inappropriate relationship of a non-sexual nature.”
The TRB ruling also found that “there is little evidence the respondent has acknowledged the inappropriateness of his conduct.”
The Teacher Regulation Branch wouldn’t comment on this case but the family’s learned the suspension is being delayed until the next school year because the TRB thought it would be less disruptive for students.
However, now that news of the suspension has been made public, there are reports of upset parents are calling the school demanding answers.
They had no idea a teacher found guilty of misconduct and facing a suspension was teaching their children.
“I can certainly understand why parents would be concerned about this situation, particularly if they have a child in that classroom,” said Greater Victoria School District superintendent Piet Langstraat, who was only notified about the suspension shortly before the ruling became public.
“I would encourage concerned parents to contact the principal or myself so that we can address any concerns.”
The school district superintendent and Vic High don’t have a say on when the suspension will take place ? that’s up to the teacher and TRB.
As for the victim’s father, who spoke out exclusively to CHEK News, he said the damage is already done.
He said his son dropped out of school, ran away from home and battled severe substance abuse after the relationship with the teacher ended.
“We had plans and those plans evaporated with that teacher’s ‘I love yous’ and the implied ‘if you run away from home, you’ll be safe’,” he said.
“What a load of crap.”
Late today, the father let us know that the police had contacted him and that they have opened a file in the case.
Previous story: EXCLUSIVE: Father breaks silence about Victoria teacher who had inappropriate relationship with his son
Read TRB decision on Robert Darwin Ammon here
Tess van Straaten
