Image: Supplied by Government of B.C. / A Chilliwack teacher has been suspended for a month by the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation for inappropriately interacting with students.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Teacher misconduct

Chilliwack teacher suspended for inappropriate actions, communication with high school students

Jul 27, 2022 | 1:52 PM

CHILLIWACK — A Chilliwack School District teacher has been reprimanded by a provincial disciplinary agency after he was found to have violated professional standards by touching and kissing a Grade 11 student.

The B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, a provincial agency, released the findings of its report Tuesday (Jul. 26) in which Sheldon Lyle Nickel agreed to a one-month suspension of his certificate qualifications. The report alleged that Nickel engaged in inappropriate electronic communication with students, shared inappropriate information about himself with students and on occasion failed to respect their physical space.

In August 2020, a youth care worker at a Chilliwack school filed a complaint to the commissioner under the Teachers Act. Nickel had taught two students, designated as Student A and Student B, according to the written report. When Student A was in Grade 11 and going through a difficult time, Nickel gave Student A a kiss on the forehead and a hug. Before their Grade 12 year started, Nickel met with both students for lunch and gave them each a hug afterwards.

While Student A was in Grade 12, Nickel crossed personal boundaries with this student by confiding about his personal problems and sending multiple text messages. He exacerbated the matter by calling this same student after he had been drinking.

Meanwhile, when Student B was in Grade 12, the disciplinary report said Nickel crossed personal boundaries by sending multiple text messages, asking what the student was doing, and expressing his affection by saying he loved and missed this student. These messages were written while Nickel was on personal leave from a Chilliwack school. On occasion, the report stated, Nickel drove this student alone in his car, even though he had been advised by a school principal in spring 2019 that he should not do so.

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Nickel had been previously issued a letter of expectation on November 28, 2019 in which he was reminded to engage in verbal interactions that maintain respect and dignity for the students with whom he works and in his role as an educator in B.C. Further, he was required to ensure that his interactions with students remain professional, and that he only furnish transportation to students if there is another staff member in the vehicle.

Chilliwack School District issued Nickel a letter of discipline and suspended him for seven days without pay. Nickel was also removed from the school and directed to complete a Justice Institute of B.C. course entitled, “Reinforcing Respectful Professional Boundaries.” Nickel completed this course in March 2021.

On July 6, 2022, Nickel entered into a consent resolution agreement with the Commissioner in which Nickel admitted that his conduct constituted professional misconduct and conduct unbecoming, and is contrary to professional teaching standards as required for all B.C. educators.

Nickel first obtained a valid professional certificate of qualification in 2001.