THUNDER BAY — A principal with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board will be suspended for four months after pleading no contest to allegations of professional misconduct involving a female co-worker.
Ryan Gatto appeared before a disciplinary committee with the Ontario College of Teachers on Wednesday.
The notice of hearing was first filed in January 2024 after several women reported inappropriate behaviour by Gatto while he was principal at Holy Family School between 2019 and 2022.
After the allegations were brought before the school board, Gatto was suspended for five days and transferred to another school in May 2022.
During the disciplinary hearing on Wednesday, Gatto pleaded no contest to the allegations of professional misconduct and the statement of uncontested facts in relation to actions against one of the female employees.
According to the statement of uncontested facts, while working as principal at Holy Family School between 2019 and 2022, Gatto engaged in inappropriate conduct and unwelcome comments and touching that constituted workplace sexual harassment.
The behaviour included comments about the co-worker’s underwear, massaging her shoulders when seated at her desk, tapping her buttock when moving by her, placing a hand between her lower back and buttock when hugging her, and texting her in the evening asking what she was doing and if she was alone.
“She was shocked and uncomfortable that he would touch her in this way,” the statement of facts reads.
“She was acutely aware of the power imbalance between them and was worried about her job if she said no about his comments.”
Gatto’s behaviour was brought to the attention of the school board by another employee who witnessed his conduct toward the woman.
“The board noted the member was not fully transparent in that he did not admit to some of the conduct the board found he engaged in,” the statement of facts continues.
A joint submission on penalty was presented to the disciplinary committee calling for Gatto to be suspended for four months.
“We believe the proposed penalty takes into account the goals of discipline committee orders, which are to protect the public, maintain high professional standards, and to preserve public confidence in the teaching profession,” said Ava Arbuck, council on behalf of the Ontario College of Teachers.
“The proposed suspension is a serious penalty.
"It is intended to satisfy the principles of specific and general deterrence, to protect the public, and to preserve public confidence in the profession.”
Arbuck said several mitigating and aggravating factors were taken into consideration when determining the appropriate penalty.
The mitigating factors include this being Gatto’s first appearance before the disciplinary committee, that no students were known to be present when he was engaging in the misconduct, and Gatto is working with counsel to resolve the matter relatively quickly.
But Arbuck also cited several aggravating factors, such as Gatto’s experience as an educator having worked for the board since 2003.
The obvious power imbalance between Gatto and the co-worker was also seen to be a serious aggravating factor.
While there is no evidence that any students were present at the time of the misconduct, it did take place within the school.
“His inappropriate comments or touching could have been observed by students as it happened at school,” Arbuck said.
“And we know someone other than person one observed him engaging in misconduct.”
The disciplinary committee accepted the joint recommendation on penalty.
In addition to the four-month suspension that is to begin on August 22, Gatto will also receive an oral reprimand and be required to take coursework regarding appropriate professional relationships and boundary violations to be completed within 90 days.
