Misconduct Allegations Against Mississauga High School Teacher Withdrawn
Published April 12, 2019 at 4:34 pm
Allegations of misconduct against a Mississauga high school teacher have been withdrawn.
Last summer, reports emerged that a Mississauga high school teacher was scheduled to face an Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) disciplinary panel following allegations of inappropriate touching.
According to the Discipline Committee of the OCT, Nicola Domenic Vescio, a teacher who taught science at Iona Catholic Secondary School, was accused of professional misconduct. According to the document, Vescio was accused of failing to maintain the standards of the profession, as well as physically, psychologically and verbally abusing a student or students.
The Discipline Committee of the OCT has recently decided to withdraw allegations due to “insufficient evidence.”
“College Counsel sought the Committee’s permission to withdraw the allegations of professional misconduct set out in the Notice of the Hearing,” the document reads. “According to College Counsel who assessed the anticipated evidence, there was no reasonable prospect of obtaining a finding of professional misconduct, should the matter proceed to a hearing, due to insufficient evidence.”
Documents released prior to the most recent decision allege that in October 2013, Vescio approached a male student while he was standing with his friends and “grabbed and twisted his nipples.”
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During the 2013-2014 academic year, Vescio allegedly sat on a male student’s lap on bus ride back from a school trip.
During that same time frame, Vescio allegedly made a number of inappropriate comments to students, including asking a student to take his shirt off and be “baby Jesus” for a photo, telling students about his time in prison and reportedly asking students for hugs.
The document also contained allegations that Vescio made racially and culturally insensitive comments to students.
According to this 680 News article, Vescio was charged with assault following an incident involving a 15-year-old male student in 2014.
“The Committee finds that the withdrawal of the Notice of the Hearing in these circumstances is reasonable and appropriate. It is not in the public interest to expend the resources to proceed with a matter in which the College as no reasonable prospect of obtaining a finding of professional misconduct.”
A Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board spokesperson says Vescio is still employed by the board.
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