The Discipline Committee ordered that the teaching certificate of Edward Patrick LaRocque be revoked for sexually abusing a student and engaging in grooming behaviour with her over multiple years, beginning when he was a teacher at her school, coaching a school team of which she was a member.
During the time in question, LaRocque was employed as a teacher by the Durham District School Board, who also coached school teams.
LaRocque, who was certified in June 2005, attended the hearing on October 29, 2025, and had legal representation.
LaRocque’s misconduct included:
- Developing a close relationship with the student that allowed him to spend more time with her, including driving her alone in his car to practices, providing her with private coaching lessons, eating lunch together on a weekly basis and texting on a daily basis.
- Isolating the student from her family and friends.
- Attending the student’s home and massaging her calves as a type of physiotherapy.
- Sending the student images of women wearing minimal clothing and telling her that she should aspire to be like them.
- Suggesting to the student that she had repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse and offering to help her “recover” and regain trust in adult men by engaging in intimate behaviour with him.
- Inducing the student to undress and engaging in sexual touching and sexual intercourse with her, while she was still a student.
- Having sexual intercourse with the student at his house on a number of occasions.
- Instructing the student to keep the relationship secret and warning her of negative consequences if she disclosed it.
- Threatening suicide and sending intimidating, harassing, and abusive emails after the student tried to terminate the relationship.
The Discipline Committee panel found LaRocque guilty of professional misconduct and ordered that his Certificate of Qualification and Registration be revoked and that he receive a reprimand.
In their written decision, the panel stated that, “[e]ngaging in a sexual relationship with a student is one of the most egregious forms of professional misconduct as there is an inherent power imbalance between a teacher and a student” and that the member’s conduct undermined the reputation of the teaching profession.
