A Teacher Who Pursued 'Romantic Relationships' With Students In BC Is Given A 10-Year Ban

A male teacher from B.C. has been banned from teaching for 10 years for "breaching professional boundaries" with multiple students.

According to a consent resolution summary published on April 19, Joseph James Hizon Arnesto admitted to the behaviour following his work as a Grade 7 to 12 teacher at an independent school.

The names of the students involved and the school are not identified in the document.

Arnesto admitted meeting a minor, Student A, who was in Grade 12 at the time of the incident, for coffee where they talked about "personal matters" including that "he (Arnesto) wished to pursue a romantic relationship" with Student A.

He also admitted communicating with the student through texts and social media messages.

The summary describes another encounter with Student B, who was in Grade 8, who exchanged messages with Arnesto over texts, Facebook and Instagram.

Specific details about the exchanges were not included in the hearing, but they did involve "personal questions" about the student — in a relationship which continued for four years.

In another interaction with Student C, another Grade 8 student, some exchanges were related to schoolwork, but they often turned to unrelated topics, including Student C’s personal and romantic life, the summary stated.

During his tenure at the school, the principal warned Arnesto "not to discuss non-school related matters with students and to be mindful of his relationship with Student B in particular."

Arnesto was then given a written warning from the principal for having "a private conversation" with another Grade 8 student, Student D, and was reminded about "maintaining clear professional boundaries".

His teaching contract was not renewed for the 2020-21 school year and, after admitting to the conduct at the hearing, Arnesto agreed to the cancellation of his teaching certificate, which he'd held since September 2015.