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Vernon teacher served suspension for test leak

A District No. 22 teacher used a secure exam for study prep materials
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Another Vernon teacher was hit with a three-day suspension last month for leaking a secure exam to his Grade 12 English students.

Jay Alexander Kohlman prepared study materials for his three Grade 12 classes using test questions held as “secure” by the Ministry of Education, knowing all well this was not allowed.

A report from the British Columbia Commissioner for Teacher Regulation said the School District No. 22 teacher obtained a copy of the English 12 Provincial Exam on Jan. 25, 2018, while his students were writing it.

It said he asked the school vice-principal if he could look at it so he could support his students after the exam. The vice-principal allowed him to look at it.

“When he returned the January 2018 Exam to the vice-principal, she asked him to confirm he had not taken a copy and he lied by responding to her that he had not,” the report reads.

He showed his copy to a fellow teacher at the school.

In an investigation by the District, Kohlman was asked if he had used content from the secure exam to prepare his students and he said he had not, “which he knew was not true,” the report stated.

The District suspended Kohlman for one day without pay on Sept. 5, 2018. The Commissioner extended the suspension by three days on June 6, 2019, that were served between Dec. 18-20, 2019.

In determining the length of the suspension, the Commissioner considered Kohlman’s dishonesty both when he obtained copies of the secure exams inappropriately and misled school administration and in his denial of using the content when questioned by District staff.

Vernon English teacher Maria MacDonald also served a three-day suspension in December for leaking exam questions on Jan. 25, 2018.

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@caitleerach
Caitlin.clow@vernonmorningstar.com

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