2 Ottawa teachers guilty of misconduct in Boston sex assault cover-up

Teachers Novick and Middleton

Two Ottawa private school teachers have been found guilty of professional misconduct for covering up the sexual assault of a 16-year-old student during a school trip to Boston, Mass., seven years ago.

On Feb. 28 in Toronto, an Ontario College of Teachers disciplinary found Alyssa Novick, a history and geography teacher, and Ian Middleton, a history teacher and rugby coach, guilty of covering up the assault while supervising an Ashbury College school trip in November 2007.

Details of the verdict have not been released and a decision on the penalty for each hearing will follow.

The college had alleged Novick and Middleton "failed to immediately notify the parents" of the student who was sexually assaulted by his classmates while on the school trip.

It is also alleged the pair, who continue to work at Ashbury, refused to report the sexual assault to police.

Novick is also accused of falsely telling the parents the student did not want to report the incident to police and discouraging the student from reporting the sexual assault to police.

Ashbury College's headmaster, Norman Southward, released a statement on Friday saying the school is "both surprised and disappointed with the findings."  (more...)

2 Ottawa teachers guilty of misconduct in Boston sex assault cover-up