A senior Chilliwack high school teacher has been barred from teaching children in the public and independent education system for 10 years, after repeated inappropriate conduct toward students, according to a ruling by the B.C. Commissioner of Teacher Regulation.
Erik Rickard Leander Chadsey started teaching in 1987. His record shows on three occasions, between the summer of 1988 and the summer of 1993, Chadsey had “physical encounters with recently graduated female students.”
On Jan. 26, 2007, the Chilliwack School District issued Chadsey a letter to remind him “of the District’s expectations that he not engage in discussion with students about intimate personal matters or matters of a sexual nature.”
The final straw for Chadsey came between 2017 and 2019 where many instances of “professional misconduct” occurred, according to the commissioner’s ruling signed May 23.
Chadsey routinely asked students a “question of the day,” including on one occasion when he asked students about “first kisses and breaking up with a partner.”
And, “At least one student, in answering the question of the day, went into detail about their sexual encounters. Chadsey did nothing to stop this student from sharing this information with their peers. Chadsey did sometimes ask students to elaborate on the stories which they told.”
Chadsey was found to have also shared “age-inappropriate stories” in student discussions. At times, “Chadsey mimicked foreign accents in front of his students to dramatize stories, including Asian accents, despite having ESL students from Asia in his classes.
“On one occasion, Chadsey mimicked physical ticks and stutters in front of his students,” the ruling stated.
On March 15, 2021, Chadsey retired from the district and on April 2, 2021 Chadsey relinquished his teaching certificate.
“Chadsey used his position of trust as a teacher to inappropriately engage with recently graduated female students. Chadsey had a pattern of failing to maintain professional boundaries with students,” and “Chadsey failed to treat students equitably with acceptance, dignity and respect and failed to show adequate care for students’ mental and emotional well-being,” the ruling concluded.
Chadsey agreed to the ruling.
