A former Port McNeill elementary school teacher convicted for possession of child pornography will not be permitted to teach again in B.C.
Timothy J. Ouellette, now 46, signed a Consent Resolution Agreement with the British Columbia Commissioner for Teacher Regulation in July. Under the resolution, Ouellette agrees not to seek certification as a teacher in the province and acknowledges the Director of Certification will be required not to issue him any certificate or letter of agreement to teach in the province.
Ouellette was an information technology teacher at Sunset Elementary School in Port McNeill when he was arrested March 29, 2012 on an allegation of possession and distribution of child pornography. He was suspended by School District 85 the following day. His contract with SD85 ended on June 30, 2012, and was not renewed.
In November of that year Ouellette was charged with one count each of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He was convicted on the possession charge in March of 2013 and last September was sentenced to four months in jail followed by five years of probation with conditions.
Both RCMP and SD85 officials said there was no evidence students at Sunset Elementary or School District 85 were involved.
Under the Consent Resolution Agreement, signed by Commissioner Bruce M. Preston July 10, Ouellette also acknowledges the facts of his case and that his actions represented professional misconduct and conduct unbecoming under the Standards for the Education, Competence and Professional Conduct of Educators in British Columbia.
He no longer lives on Vancouver Island.