A School District 43 (SD43) teacher has been reprimanded and will have to take a "positive learning environment" course for showing an "inappropriate" film to young grade-schoolers.
In a consent resolution agreement posted online, Amira Mounir Abraham agreed to a statement of facts surrounding the incident that occurred May 9, 2022, when Abraham was a TOC (Teacher On Call) for a Grade 2/3 French immersion class.
While marking a dictée, Abraham decided to show the class a short film from the internet as the students were having a snack.
Although she hadn't previously watched the nine-minute animated short film called "Life is Beautiful," Abraham allowed the students to watch the film which contained "inappropriate" scenes.
"The film is a nine-minute long, age-inappropriate film for the class Abraham was teaching, containing scenes depicting sexual intercourse and suicide," the agreement states.
Further, it notes that Abraham became aware that the film was not age-appropriate but did not intervene or stop the film.
"Instead, she continued grading."
On June 6, 2022, SD43 issued Abraham a letter of discipline and asked her to "conduct her employment responsibilities in a trustworthy, impartial, diligent, and safe manner," among other things.
The B.C. Teacher Regulation commissioner reviewed the case on Oct. 6, 2022, and found Abraham "failed to establish a positive learning environment" by showing the video to students of a "vulnerable age" and not turning it off, even after she was aware that it was not appropriate.
It wasn't the first time she had been disciplined, according to the consent resolution agreement.
Abraham was issued a letter of reprimand on Feb. 28, 2019, following allegations she "failed to adequately supervise a Kindergarten/Grade 1 class" while working as a TOC.
As a consequence of her actions, Abraham has been ordered to successfully complete a Justice Institute of B.C. course called Creating a Positive Learning Environment and provide "satisfactory proof of completion" to the commissioner by March 31, 2024.
