BC teacher who "cuffed" two students during class receives suspension

A teacher in Chilliwack who “cuffed” two students in the back of the head with his hand received a five-day suspension for his actions.

In its decision published this week, the BCCTR said the incidents took place in 2017 and 2018, when Pallingalthodi Jabbar was teaching at a middle school in the district.

According to the decision, it was in December 2017, while Jabbar was teaching a Grade 9 math class, that he “cuffed a student on the back of the head” and asked if the student was “really that dumb” after the student answered a question incorrectly.

That same month, he “cuffed” another student on the back of the head, this time during a drama class after the student made a loud noise by dropping a microphone.

As a result of these actions, Jabbar was sent a letter of discipline from the school district and was suspended for two days without pay in January 2018.

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Then, in February 2018, the BCCTR initiated an investigation into Jabbar after learning that he had been charged with one count of assault and one count of uttering threats.

The charges were stayed in September of that same year, in part because Jabbar had “participated in counselling, including anger management training,” the BCCTR said.

But during the investigation into his conduct, Jabbar “admitted to losing his temper, raising his voice, and striking an adult with an open hand,” the decision said.

On January 23, 2019, the school district issued Jabbar a letter of discipline and suspended him for five days without pay.

That suspension took place this month from June 22 to June 26.