A former teacher from Napanee, who was previously cleared of child pornography charges in May 2021, admitted to not contesting his case when the Ontario College of Teachers withdrew his teaching credentials earlier this spring.
A decision was made to permanently bar Mitchell Skinner from ever teaching again due to his severe misconduct, as stated by a disciplinary panel.
Skinner was arrested by Kingston Police on Dec. 7, 2017, for allegations of accessing, possessing, and creating child pornography. At that time, he was working as an English teacher at Napanee District Secondary School. The RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Co-ordination Centre identified him. Despite the arrest, there was no explicit material directly linked to anyone at the school.
Skinner was acquitted of all charges on May 17, 2021, because the court determined his rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms were violated during the investigation and arrest.
Nevertheless, Skinner did not contest the fact that the inappropriate images and discussions found on his phone were his, and were indeed child pornography. By pleading no contest, Skinner acknowledged the allegations against him and accepted that he could never seek to regain his teaching qualifications.
The disciplinary panel described Skinner’s actions as disgraceful, dishonorable, and unprofessional. They emphasized that possessing child pornography contributes to the exploitation of abused children and represents a serious breach of trust and responsibility, especially considering Skinner’s position as a teacher.
Ultimately, the panel concluded that Skinner’s behavior seriously called into question his suitability to work in a position of authority and trust, particularly with children.
Written by Emily Chatwood
