The Discipline Committee hears matters regarding allegations of professional misconduct and/or incompetence which have been referred by the Complaints Committee following investigation.
The College is mandated to publish a summary of its disciplinary decisions and reasons when the Discipline Committee makes a finding of guilt. These disciplinary decisions are then published on the College’s website, on our blog and on CanLII, the Canadian Legal Information Institute’s website.
Carrie ChunJuan Tan, 48787
Facts: Carrie ChunJuan Tan (the Member) did not attend the hearing and was presumed to plead not guilty to professional misconduct. Following a contested hearing, the Discipline Committee made the following findings of fact:
The Member, along with another RECE, was supervising a group of children. During a transition period from the classroom to the gym, the RECE was about to do a headcount of the children in the classroom. However, the Member stopped him from doing so and indicated that all children were present. In fact, there was one child in the washroom. The group made the transition to the gym, leaving that child behind. While the group was in the gym, the child put on her winter clothes, took her backpack and left the centre to walk home. After approximately 50 minutes, the Member noticed the child was missing. She did not call the child’s parents nor did she alert the centre’s manager. Approximately 20 minutes after the Member’s realization, the child’s father called the centre. The Member told him she thought the child had been picked up by either a parent or friend.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08). This included:
- failing to supervise adequately a person who was under her professional supervision;
- acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and
- conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The panel stated that “[the] Member’s demonstrated unwillingness to cooperate with the College in accordance with her professional obligations make other remedial alternatives unlikely to deter her from engaging in similar conduct. It is also unlikely these remedial alternatives will rehabilitate the Member’s understanding of her professional obligations for an eventual return to practice.”
Penalty: The Discipline Committee directed the Registrar to revoke the Member’s certificate of registration. The Committee also required the Member to pay $10,000 to partially reimburse the College for prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading Special Notices.
Leslie Nicole Raybon, 29831
Facts: Leslie Nicole Raybon (the Member) pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts:
The Member was supervising a group of five toddlers and pre-school aged children. During lunch time, the Member pinned one child for several minutes to his cot as he struggled to resist, cried and screamed. The Member also yelled at the child, leaned over the child, held the child’s head down, pushed on the child’s back and covered his head with a blanket.
This incident was recorded on video, which the centre’s owner watched shortly after the incident.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including:
- physically abusing a child who was under her professional supervision;
- psychologically and/or emotionally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision;
- failing to maintain the standards of the profession;
- acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and
- conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming of a member.
The panel stated that “[a] suspension is necessary in this case. This remedial action is to deter the Member’s engagement in physical and emotional abuse of a child under her care and her use of physical force, resulting in emotional distress. These are totally unacceptable forms of child guidance and reinforcement. The Member should have a number of behavioural management strategies at her disposal to support and promote pro-social behaviour.”
Penalty: The Discipline Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least nine months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration, including mandatory coursework on positive intervention strategies, anger management and a minimum of seven sessions with an approved mentor. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to contribute $1,000 toward the College’s prosecution and hearing costs.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading Special Notices.
Melanie Ruth Brown, 06418
Facts: Melanie Ruth Brown (the Member) pled guilty to professional misconduct. Following an uncontested hearing, the Discipline Committee accepted the following admissions as facts:
The Member, who worked at a school, without permission or authorization, entered a room belonging to a centre located on the school’s premises. She removed three iPads and took them home for her personal use. The iPads were noticed missing within a few days of being taken. After an unsuccessful search, the police were notified and later advised the school’s principal that the iPads were located at the Member’s residence. The iPads were returned to the centre.
Finding: In its decision, the panel found that the evidence supported findings of professional misconduct.
The Member was found guilty of several acts of professional misconduct (Ontario Regulation 223/08), including:
- failing to maintain the standards of the profession;
- acting or failing to act in a manner that, having regard to the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; and
- conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
The panel stated that “[the] unauthorized removal of centre property by an RECE is unacceptable and will have significant consequences.”
Penalty: The Discipline Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least six months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration, including a minimum of five sessions with an approved mentor. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded. In addition, the Member was required to contribute $1,000 to the College’s prosecution and hearing costs. The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading Special Notices.