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.
Sophia Tsapoitis, RECE # 67659
Facts: Despite being aware of a preschool-aged child’s severe allergies, and despite completing training on anaphylaxis management through her employer four days earlier, the Member failed to serve the affected child a suitable snack. She instead served them a snack that triggered anaphylactic symptoms. The child required administration of epinephrine and was transported to hospital by ambulance.
The Member noted that she was overwhelmed, distressed and not feeling well the morning of the incident due to personal circumstances. She believed that this impeded her ability to adequately perform her duties. However, she did not feel comfortable calling in sick due to the pressures of the work environment.
Finding: The Committee found that the Member had committed several acts of professional misconduct under Ontario Regulation 223/08, including failing to supervise adequately a person 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 a member.
In its decision, the panel emphasized the importance of RECEs being diligent during employer-led training sessions, especially in dealing with allergies. RECEs must demonstrate insight into their abilities to provide proper care in carrying out their duties and remain aware that a lack of self-awareness can result in a harmful outcome.
Penalty: The 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. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay costs to the College in the amount of $1,000.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Regina Egomika Oyageshio, RECE # 104150
Facts: The Member was supervising preschool-aged children with two non-RECE staff members. When one child did not follow the Member’s direction to pick playdough up from the floor, the Member used physical force to move them a short distance. She then leaned over them and spoke to them with her face in close proximity to their face. When the child tried to walk away from the Member, she forcefully pulled them back toward her. In response, the Child spat in the Member’s face. The Member then slapped the child on their face with an open palm. The child was upset, cried, and asked for their mother.
Finding: The Committee found that the Member had committed several acts of professional misconduct under 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 a member.
Penalty: The 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. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay costs to the College in the amount of $1,000.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Lexi Deborah Wayne, RECE # 49427
Facts: On multiple occasions over several months, the Member observed a colleague tying toddlers to chairs. Despite observing this abusive conduct and the negative emotional impact it had on children, the Member did not take steps to prevent the abusive conduct from reoccurring and to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. She also failed to document and report her colleague’s conduct to the Children’s Aid Society and Ministry of Education.
The panel noted that the Member’s conduct demonstrated a lack of judgment and responsbility, and complete disregard for the welfare and safety of the children in her care.
Finding: The Committee found that the Member had committed several acts of professional misconduct under 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; failing to keep records as required by her professional duties; contravening a law, which contravention has caused or may have caused a child who was under her professional supervision to be put at or remain at risk; and conducting herself in a manner that is unbecoming a member.
Penalty: The 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. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay costs to the College in the amount of $1,000.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Marie Suzanne Cormier-Dein, RECE # 44310
Facts: The Member grabbed a child by their clothing near the back of their neck, pulled them against a wall, and yelled at them while standing in very close proximity to their face. As the child attempted to walk away, the Member yelled at them again, instructing them to get back to the wall.
Finding: The Committee found that the Member had committed several acts of professional misconduct under Ontario Regulation 223/08, including: verbally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; physically 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 a member.
The Panel was disturbed to see a Member having apparent disregard for the needs, dignity and rights of a child under her care, and her responsibilities and the trust placed in her by the Child’s parents, her colleagues and the public.
Penalty: The 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. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay costs to the College in the amount of $1,000.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Vasantha Thevakumar, RECE # 23256
Facts: The Member became frustrated with a child and slapped them on their cheek after the child screamed and pulled the Member toward a nearby area of the preschool classroom. The Child became very upset and screamed so loudly that both the child care centre’s supervisor and the cook rushed into the classroom to see what happened. When the Member attempted to console the child, they responded by hitting her, while continuing to scream.
Finding: The Committee found that the Member had committed several acts of professional misconduct under 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 a member.
Penalty: The 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. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay costs to the College in the amount of $1,000.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Staci Kimberly Jessup, RECE # 48953
Facts: The Member, who was employed as a Supervisor at a child care centre, failed to intervene when staff reported to her on multiple occasions their concerns about “burn-like marks” they repeatedly observed on a child. Specifically, she did not:
- take adequate steps to ensure the child’s safety and well-being;
- report to Children’s Services of Renfrew County;
- instruct the staff who reported their concerns to her to report directly to CAS;
- file a Serious Occurrence Report with the Ministry of Education; or
- document the concerns the staff verbally reported to her or any conversations she had with the child’s mother arising from the marks on the child.
Finding: The Committee found that the Member had committed several acts of professional misconduct under Ontario Regulation 223/08, including failing to understand the importance of creating and maintaining positive relationships with families and colleagues to support children’s well-being; making the needs and best interests of the child her highest priority; failing to observe and monitor the learning environment and to take responsibility to avoid exposing children to harmful or unsafe situations; and failing to report professional misconduct, incompetence and incapacity of colleagues which could create risk to the health or well-being of children or others to the appropriate authorities in relation to conduct of another RECE.
Penalty: The Committee directed the Registrar to suspend the Member’s certificate of registration for at least 11 months and to impose terms, conditions and limitations on the Member’s certificate of registration. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay costs to the College in the amount of $1,000.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.
Cassandra Jade Cespite, RECE # 54956
Facts: The Member was physically, verbally and emotionally abusive on multiple occasions involving multiple children, including the following:
- Grabbing a child with a disability who was non-verbal by their limbs, causing them to hit their head and cry, and then covering the child’s head with a blanket and restraining them for approximately 10-15 minutes while they screamed and cried.
- Forcefully grabbing a child with a disability by the hand, despite knowing it was sore due to a skin condition. She then dragged them to a table, causing them to cry. The Member pulled the child’s chair, causing them to fall and hit their head on the table. The Member said to the child, “That’s what you get” or words to that effect, and walked away, leaving them crying.
- Putting a spoon in a child’s hand and using their hand to hit another child, causing them to cry.
- Refusing to assist a crying child who spilled soap bubbles in their eyes.
- Refusing to change the clothes of a child who soiled themself and leaving the child in soiled clothing for a period of time.
- Kicking a child who was having difficulty tying their shoes after soiling themself and blaming the child for not attending to their needs, followed by yelling at the child as they cried.
- Telling a child who did not like their snack that she would not permit them to go outside with the rest of the children if the child did not eat.
- Taking chidlren’s food away from them and throwing it out if they did not eat quickly.
- Saying to an ECE student in the presence of a child that the child’s parent “talks to them as if they’re shit, so you should do the same” or words to that effect.
- Agressively grabbing and/or holding and/or pulling children by the wrist.
Finding: The Committee found that the Member had committed several acts of professional misconduct under Ontario Regulation 223/08, including physically abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; verbally abusing a child who was under her professional supervision; psychologically 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 acting in a manner that is unbecoming a Member.
Penalty: The Committee found the Member’s conduct egregious and directed the Registrar to immediately revoke the Member’s certificate of registration. The Committee also required the Member to appear before it to be reprimanded and ordered the Member to pay costs to the College in the amount of $1,000.
The full decision can be found here, linked under the heading “Special Notices”.