B.C. Teacher Disciplined for Engaging in Sexual Contact with Student

A teacher from British Columbia has been barred from recertification for at least eight years following inappropriate conduct involving a student. According to the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, Adam Richard Macdonald connected with the student on the Grindr dating app and engaged in sexualized physical contact after the student graduated high school.

Details outlined in a consent agreement reveal that Macdonald, a teacher at an unnamed school district, met the student, referred to as “Student A,” during a two-day field trip in January 2016. At that time, the student was in Grade 11 and claimed to be 18 years old to access Grindr, where they later connected about five months after their initial meeting.

The consent agreement states that Macdonald was unaware the student was from the same district and that they ceased communication until the following school year. At that point, the two reconnected on Grindr, remembering their earlier interaction during the field trip. They subsequently began communicating through Instagram and regular text messaging after Macdonald provided his phone number.

The situation escalated after Student A graduated from high school. The pair met at Macdonald’s home, where they engaged in sexualized physical contact, including kissing, cuddling, and at least one instance of oral sex. The commissioner noted that Macdonald assured the student that the district would not take action regarding their relationship because they were attending different schools.

In February 2024, Macdonald resigned from the school district and signed an agreement not to practice as a teacher. This followed a prior directive issued by the district in 2016, instructing him to maintain professional boundaries with students and avoid discussing personal sexual experiences.

The commissioner’s findings characterized Macdonald’s actions as a serious breach of his professional responsibilities. “Macdonald engaged in inappropriate physical contact of a sexual nature with a person he knew had recently graduated from a District school,” the agreement stated.

As a result of this misconduct, Macdonald has agreed to have his teaching certificate cancelled and will not apply for recertification for a minimum of eight years. This decision underscores the significant consequences of violating the trust placed in educators by their students and communities.