A Vancouver Island school teacher has been stripped of his teaching license for 15 years after admitting to sending sexual messages and photographs to students, according to B.C.’s Commissioner for Teacher Regulation.
A consent resolution agreement published on Aug. 1 states that Neil Holmes was employed as a secondary school teacher by Nanaimo Ladysmith’s School District 68, and on May 14, 2021, his teaching certificate was suspended.
In the background section of the agreement, three students are mentioned, including Students A, B and C.
The agreement says Student A did not have Holmes as a classroom teacher but knew him as a teacher on call (TOC). Holmes contacted the student, who graduated in 2014, through Facebook shortly after graduation. They began using Facebook Messenger to exchange sexual messages and photos.
“At one point, Holmes sent Student A a photograph of his classroom, indicating that this was a place where he would like to have sex with Student A,” reads the agreement.
Student B, meanwhile, graduated in June 2015 after finding Holmes’ Tinder profile and messaging him in April or May, says the agreement. Holmes knew the student went to the school and began exchanging text messages with them, including texts of a sexual nature. Before graduation, Holmes sent the student two sexually explicit photos of himself.
About a year later, in July 2016, Student B posted a warning on Facebook “that not all teachers at the school were good people,” reads the agreement. “Holmes’ name was attached to the post. Holmes responded to Student B by requesting that the post be removed, or he would contact the police.”
Student C graduated in June 2015 and did not have Holmes as a classroom teacher but did have him as a TOC in grade nine, says the agreement. Between February and April 2016, they exchanged text messages which included texts of a sexual nature by Holmes. The student was 18 years old at the time.
Holmes confesses that the above facts are true, according to the agreement, which was decided on July 19.
“Holmes admits that the conduct described in … this Agreement constitutes professional misconduct and conduct unbecoming,” it reads, “and is contrary to Standards #1 and #2 of the Standards for the Education, Competence and Professional Conduct of Educators in British Columbia.”
It was on Feb. 26, 2021, when the school made a report to the commissioner regarding Holmes, says the agreement. That was 10 days after SD68 placed Holmes on paid leave from Feb. 16, 2021, until June 30, 2021. By July 1 of that year, he was on unpaid leave, and on Jan. 7, 2022 he resigned from SD68.
Holmes also agrees that for 15 years, he cannot be issued authorization to teach in the kindergarten to grade 12 education system. After 15 years if Holmes reapplies to teach, the facts set out in the agreement may be considered by the director responsible for certification.
The full consent resolution agreement is here.
Ethan Morneau
