Manitoba’s teacher watchdog heard 94 misconduct complaints in first 15 months

Manitoba’s teacher watchdog says it heard 94 complaints about misconduct in its first 15 months, including a handful of cases about physical and emotional harm to students.

The Manitoba Commissioner of Teacher Professional Conduct said in its first full annual report since being established at the start of 2025 that it had resolved 23 of those complaints by the end of March.

Commissioner Noni Classen said that while the majority of teachers carry out their work with professionalism and compassion, it is important to ensure any concerns are addressed.

“Public confidence in the education system matters deeply,” she said in the report.

Of the complaints marked as finalized, four were about emotional harm, including yelling at or mocking students, and two involved physical harm.

In one case, a teacher grabbed a student by the shirt, lifting the student out of a chair for refusing to leave as instructed.

Another teacher arranged over social media to meet a high school student and gave the student cannabis and alcohol.

That teacher lost their teaching certificate, and five others entered into consent resolution agreements — addressing the issues without a hearing.

Three teachers also voluntarily surrendered certificates during the 15 months, and the commissioner ordered four interim suspensions.

Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said in a statement that the NDP government launched the teacher registry and teacher commissioner to strengthen accountability and public confidence in the education system.

“This report reflects growing awareness among parents, students and community members that there is a clear, independent process available when they have concerns about professional conduct,” Schmidt said.