Teacher recommended student listen to ‘sexually explicit music,' broke social media policy
A British Columbia teacher has been suspended and faces restrictions on his ability to teach after the provincial education regulator found he fraudulently used sick leave to travel overseas and repeatedly violated professional boundaries with a former student.
The case involved Alex Chen of School District No. 63 (Saanich), according to a consent resolution agreement published by the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation under section 54(3) of the Teachers Act “to protect the identity of a student who was harmed, abused or exploited by the Teacher.”
Spring break in the district ran from March 17 to 28, 2025. On the evening of March 11, 2025, Chen scheduled three days of paid sick leave for March 11, 12, and 13.
"Chen was not, in fact, sick, but had scheduled those days off so that he could fly to Japan on March 12, 2025, for a personal vacation over the spring break period," says the summary.
In setting sanctions, the Commissioner noted that “Chen fraudulently booked time off as sick leave even though he had been previously disciplined for time theft one day earlier,” treating the misuse of leave as deliberate dishonesty rather than a one‑off lapse.
Boundary violations with former student
The most serious conduct involved a young person identified as Student A. The summary records that, over two years, Chen sent Student A more than 80 emails, provided Student A with a gift card, recommended that Student A listen to sexually explicit music, initiated correspondence with Student A in the summer and during school breaks (including a message sent at 11:55 p.m. one New Year’s Eve), and attended games in which Student A was scheduled to play, in which Chen was not otherwise involved as a coach or teacher.”
The summary adds: “Often Chen initiated the email conversations.”
The Commissioner concluded that Chen’s conduct with Student A continued over a significant period of time "and involved repeated violations of professional boundaries” and that “showed a lack of understanding of appropriate professional boundaries.”
Social media conduct and regulatory outcome
The district had also raised concerns about Chen’s use of work time and school‑related material on social media. On March 10, 2025, it issued “a letter of discipline” after allegations that he had filmed personal social media content during scheduled work time, on District property and identified himself as a teacher at the school.
“In a number of these social media posts, Chen used artwork, thank‑you cards and gifts created and/or provided by students, without express permission to do so,” the summary states, adding that the district reminded him “that creating social media content during school hours constituted time theft.”
On May 5, 2025, the district terminated Chen’s employment, and on May 8, 2025 it reported him to the Commissioner under section 16 of the School Act. On April 7 this year, “Chen entered into a consent resolution agreement with the Commissioner, in which Chen admitted that the conduct set out in paragraphs 4 and 5 above constitutes professional misconduct under section 63 of the Teachers Act and is contrary to Standards #1 and 2 of the Professional Standards for BC Educators (June 2019).”
Under that agreement, Chen agreed to a two‑week suspension of his certificate of qualification and to a limitation prohibiting him from teaching in any role requiring provincial certification “until Chen has completed the course, Reinforcing Respectful Professional Boundaries… and has provided satisfactory proof of completion of the Course to the Director.”
The summary adds that Chen “agreed that he will not make any statement orally or in writing which contradicts, disputes or calls into question” the agreement or his admissions.
Previously, 20 teachers in Surrey, B.C. were told to stay home this week after their licences were automatically suspended over missed criminal record check updates.
Under B.C.’s Criminal Records Review Act and teaching certification rules, anyone who holds a B.C. teaching certificate must undergo a criminal record check every five years through the Ministry of Education and Child Care, even if they’ve recently completed a check for a school district or another employer.
