INTERVIEW: Robert Bisson

Robert Bisson is the co-ordinator of Member Services at the Alberta Teachers' Association. He was interviewed by Hana Gartner. Watch interview online.

Hana Gartner: How would you characterize the Alberta's Teachers' Association position when it come to teachers having sexual relations with students

Robert Bisson: The Association has no tolerance for that type of behaviour and we believe that the profession has to maintain certain ethical standards and parents deserve to know that their kids are safe in the classrooms.

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Hana Gartner: Could you specifically give me a sense of what you're guidelines are?

Robert Bisson: Well generally for that type of behaviour it would involve cancellation of membership in the Association which ensures that the individual cannot teach in any Alberta public school, which includes Separate and Francophone schools as well. With the cancellation of certificate, what that generally involves that they will not be able to teach elsewhere. In Alberta of course some of the private schools do receive some funding and therefore that would apply to those private schools as well.

Hana Gartner: But how would a school board, schools in other provinces know? Do you send out an all points bulletin? Is there a list somewhere?

Robert Bisson: When the recommendation from the Association goes out to the Minister for the withdrawal of certificate, the Registrars are in communication with Departments of Education of other provinces and I believe, as well, in North America it becomes known to other employees whose certificate has been cancelled. …

Hana Gartner: Do parents have access to that?

Robert Bisson: The hearings that we have are public hearings so that information would be available if someone were to request on a particular individual. There’s no register that is public but if a parent has a concern.

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Hana Gartner: And what specifically were the charges levied against Jocelyn Jaster? So the conclusion of this investigations against Jocelyn Jaster was??

Robert Bisson: We report to the Executive Secretary who then orders the hearing. At the hearing the information, the evidence, was presented whether that would be testimony or otherwise. And as a result of the hearing itself, she was found guilty and the recommendation, the penalty that I prescribed was the cancellation of membership in the Association. A cancellation – a recommendation to the Minister for cancellation of certification. I believe there was as well a three thousand dollar fine.

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Hana Gartner: But you didn't fool around. You used some pretty tough language - deplorable, repugnant, despicable, reprehensible - pretty tough.

Robert Bisson: Yes it is and I think that’s the view of the profession. I don’t think there’s anyone who would condone that type of behaviour. You have a teacher who is in a position of authority, having a sexual relationship with a student in the same school. I don’t think you can arrive at a different conclusion.

Hana Gartner: And to what degree in your opinion and the opinion of this committee and the associations, was the victim a mitigating factor in the decision? You obviously felt he was adversely affected?

Robert Bisson: The report from the Committee does mention that one of the reasons for the penalty was the potential long term negative impact on this particular student.

Hana Gartner: So you must have all bee scratching your heads when a jury of here peers found her not guilty of criminal charges?

Robert Bisson: I don’t know the rationale as to why that happened. From the point of view of the profession, the fact that she was a teacher in the same school as that particular child, was sufficient for the Committee to conclude that there’s a position of trust that’s there.

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Hana Gartner: Do teachers' get training about cases like this one - what is appropriate, what is not appropriate??

Robert Bisson: Part of the work that we do is assist in universities with the Teacher Training programs, we provide seminars and classes where we cover subjects such as these, in particular, the Code of Conduct.