Former Lakehead District School Board director of education Ian MacRae has been found guilty of professional misconduct by the Ontario College of Teachers.
MacRae’s college certificate will be suspended for four months as a result, while he will also receive a written reprimand and have to undergo training if he wishes to teach again in the future.
The ruling, delivered by an OCT disciplinary panel on Wednesday, capped a remarkable fall from grace for a man who spent decades as a teacher and administrator before taking the public school board’s top job in 2014.
Shortly after MacRae’s retirement in 2022, the college announced a disciplinary proceeding against him based on dozens of alleged instances of inappropriate behaviour.
The case was based on evidence from over 20 people, with allegations of inappropriate comments made to school staff and trustees, offensive comments about Indigenous people, and unprofessional conduct.
MacRae did not contest those allegations at a hearing held virtually by the OCT on Wednesday, with his lawyer submitting an uncontested statement of facts along with the college and agreeing on recommended penalties.
A college disciplinary panel accepted the agreement, which will see MacRae acknowledge his behaviour constituted misconduct, receive a written reprimand from the college, and a four-month suspension of his OCT certificate.
He would also need to complete a conflict resolution course before taking any position that requires his certificate.
MacRae’s lawyer, Joshua Lerner, said his client has no plans to re-enter the profession.
MacRae was virtually present at Wednesday’s hearing, but did not speak.
The agreed statement of facts outlines a years-long pattern of behaviour that college lawyer Jordan Stone said left staff who reported to him uncomfortable and intimidated.
The numerous examples include calling one staff person a liar in front of colleagues while threatening their job, asking communications staff to remove information from the board website about someone he said he did not like, and throwing blinds that were being installed in his office into the hallway repeatedly after becoming angry.
MacRae also insisted staff complete a performance review of his position in front of him, and during a 2019 harassment investigation into his conduct, told staff his lawyer would find out who agreed to serve as a witness, according to the agreed statement of facts.
He also acknowledged falling asleep repeatedly during meetings, including during a student expulsion hearing.
“There are certainly sufficient facts in there that have been uncontested to establish that there’s been disgraceful, dishonourable, and unprofessional conduct and conduct unbecoming,” said Stone.
Stone argued the panel should consider MacRae’s comments about Indigenous people as an aggravating factor in determining his punishment.
MacRae acknowledged he had made negative comments about Indigenous people and objected to a new school bearing an Indigenous name.
Stone also cited MacRae’s position of influence as an aggravating factor.
On the other hand, he pointed to MacRae’s long career with the board, beginning in 1975, with no prior disciplinary issues.
MacRae had filed to run as a trustee in the 2022 school board elections, but was disqualified because his status as a board employee at the time of filing made him ineligible.
