TEACHER FACING DRUG CHARGES

Regina Public Schools officials are saying little, except that they
are taking the appropriate steps, in the wake of a local teacher
being charged with drug offences.

[Name redacted] , 38, was last known to have taught in a local
elementary school and is currently on leave -- and is therefore not
in the schools.

[Name redacted] has been charged with possession of cocaine for the
purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
and possession of crime proceeds under the Criminal Code, both dating
to Aug. 15 at or near Regina. The second charge alleges [Name
redacted] possessed $1,085 related to the drug charge, according to
court documents.

He previously appeared in Regina Provincial Court on the matters, and
is next scheduled to appear on Oct. 11.

Another man, 18-year-old [Name redacted] , is also facing charges
in connection with the same incident, according to a Crown prosecutor
handling the file. Hashem is next scheduled to appear in court Oct. 17.

Regina Public Schools spokesman Terry Lazarou said his organization
is not commenting, as it is a "personnel issue," but did say the
school board addressed the issue during a closed-door session at last
week's school board meeting.

"The board met on the issue last Tuesday and they made some
decisions, and those decisions will be reflected in the board minutes
that go out on Friday," said Lazarou. "The board has it well in hand
and it will be reflected in the minutes."

He could not elaborate on what those decisions were or when the
matter first came to the attention of the board.

Lazarou did say that the board's decision takes into account that
"the safety of students and staff is always and has always been our
biggest priority, and all actions that were taken were taken to
ensure that that continues."

Board member John Conway also could not comment on the issue, except
to say that "the board has handled it appropriately and with dispatch."

Lazarou said it is up to the board to decide what action is taken
when a staff member is facing criminal charges.

School board policy states employees must pass a criminal record
check prior to being hired and any charges laid against the employee
after that time must be disclosed to the board within two working
days. The board would then have a number of options available to deal
with the situation.

"If there's a safety issue, with either staff or students, normally
what gets done is the individual is taken out of the school, or
reassigned, or reassigned to home," said Lazarou.

"If something is in front of the courts, it is not our place to pass
judgment -- that's the role of the courts, and we live in a land
where people are innocent until proven guilty ... We follow and we
take the lead of the police service and the court system because they
make the laws and enforce the laws. Our role here is to ensure that
staff and students are safe whenever we can ensure that."

Noreen Faulconer, co-chairwoman of the school's parent-teacher
council, said she was "very angry and shocked" to hear about the charges.

"As far as we're concerned, we don't want him back at our school, and
we will do whatever we have to to make sure that he doesn't come back
to our school," said Faulconer.

"I know that you're innocent until proven guilty, but no, that's not
acceptable enough -- not when it's our kids (who) are involved."