A former Nanaimo school district principal who pleaded guilty to theft under $5,000 has been reprimanded by the B.C. Teacher Regulation Branch.
David Mark Street, 55 at the time he was charged, is former principal of Woodlands and Ladysmith Secondary schools. He was placed on administrative leave with pay in March 26, 2015, in light of the criminal investigation and subsequently resigned May 22, 2015.
The branch considered the matter on June 9 and proposed a consent resolution agreement to Street. In the agreement documents, Street admitted to stealing $2,320 between Nov. 15, 2014, and March 26, 2015. Money included donations to breakfast programs, charity fundraisers, and sports and graduation fees.
Money was taken from a safe installed in late 2014, and while Street said he didn’t want access, he stole a key from an administrative assistant, the documents said.
On Jan. 16, 2015, Street reported the theft and told RCMP only three employees had access. Street said the safe was “notoriously left open and unlocked.” He discouraged police from investigating as it would be “upsetting to staff,” and said security measures would be strengthened.
One of the assistants expressed concern about missing money, but Street told her to “keep it quiet,” and not to tell the vice-principal. Another assistant mentioned the missing money to the vice-principal and Street brought up that assistant’s work performance and forced her to move out of the general office area, said the documents.
A school district assistant superintendent met with Street to talk about the missing money in February 2015, at which time Street said only administrative assistants had access.
Furthermore, Street had removed $500 from the safe prior to the superintendent’s visit and placed it on an assistant’s desk in order to avert suspicion, the documents said.
Street pleaded guilty on Dec. 14, 2015 and was given a 21-month conditional discharge and probation. He was also ordered to partake in a restorative justice program and pay the district $2,320 restitution.
While the documents said Street agreed to a reprimand in accordance with the B.C. Teachers’ Act, discipline from the branch was not mentioned.
In an e-mail, the Ministry of Education said all discipline decisions will be made public unless publication causes a significant hardship to a person other than an individual subject to a discipline decision.
Shauna DeBodt, Nanaimo school district spokeswoman, said the district had no comment.