The provincial government's teacher regulation branch is investigating a Burnaby elementary teacher who allegedly force-fed a child a piece of fruit at school.
In 2011, the child's parent complained to what was then the B.C. College of Teachers.
The incident in question happened in 2010, when the teacher allegedly force-fed a seven-year-old Grade 3 student a plum, after the child was crying and refusing to eat it. The father was called to the school about the matter, but the same thing allegedly happened two days later.
The parent took his complaint to the college, which has since started an investigation.
The NOW covered the story in March 2011 but chose not to name the school, the parents or the teacher over privacy concerns for the child.
After the story ran, a 10-year-old girl, who was in the child's class at the time of the fruit incident, hand-wrote a letter to the NOW, stating she saw everything.
"Every last detail in that article was true," she wrote. "Because of her (the teacher), I no longer trust adults."
Despite ongoing media inquiries, the teacher regulation branch could not provide any information, except that they are investigating the case, which they've been doing since at least last summer.
Last year, the provincial government created the teacher regulation branch to replace the B.C. College of Teachers, a regulatory body that investigates complaints against teachers.
According to the branch's online database, the teacher in question has a certificate in good standing that's valid till June 30, 2013, and she has no status history.
In the school district's 2011 statement of financial information, the teacher was listed on the payroll as receiving more than $82,000 in remuneration.
The Burnaby Teachers' Association was not able to comment.
"What I can say, is that when the Teacher Regulation Branch finishes their process, they will most likely make information available," said association president Richard Storch.
To read the article about the fruit incident and the letter, go to Jennifer Moreau's blog at www.burnabynow.com.
www.twitter.com/JenniferMoreau
