The Discipline Committee suspended the teaching certificate of Anna Penny June Bourcier for making verbally and emotionally abusive comments to multiple students (Student 1, Student 2, Student 4); posting disparaging statements about students and parents in the school community on social media; and sending unprofessional and offensive text messages to her former principal.
During the time in question, Bourcier was employed as a teacher in a small Indigenous community in Northern Ontario.
Bourcier, who was certified to teach in July 2015, attended the hearing on April 30, 2025, and was self-represented.
On one occasion, Bourcier told students in the class that they should be focusing on their work, instead of flirting with each other. When a student asked Bourcier what “flirting” was, Bourcier responded to the entire class, including Student 1, that “flirting was what Student 1 does every time she is around boys.”
On another occasion, during Bourcier’s lesson, Student 2 challenged Bourcier on a topic that Bourcier had taught the class, stating that his grandmother had a different opinion. In response, Bourcier responded to him, in front of the entire class, “well does your grandma have three degrees, because I do.”
In a separate incident, Bourcier posted on her Facebook page in a manner that was visible to members of the school community: “you suck and so does your kid” with a middle finger emoji.
After the school terminated Bourcier’s employment, Bourcier sent unprofessional and offensive text messages to the school’s principal, which included:
- “I will HAPPILY make it known ANYWHERE I go in this country that you are awful and are completely useless as an administrator and as a human being. THE CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER THAN YOU.”
- “Hope you find a job that’s more suited to you…perhaps look into trades, you’re quite good at being a piece of s**t [full word] and I know plumbers are always needed.”
- “You’re a nasty, horrible, underhanded, sneaky, f*****g [full word] snake.”
The Discipline Committee panel found Bourcier guilty of professional misconduct and ordered that her Certificate of Qualification and Registration be suspended for one month.
She was also directed to receive a reprimand.
In addition, she was directed to complete coursework regarding anger management, classroom management, and professional ethics.
In their written decision, the Discipline Committee panel stated, “Teachers are expected to be respectful and composed in their interactions with students, to control their emotions, and to demonstrate effective classroom management even in trying circumstances.”
