While the court proceedings for the Terry Fox Secondary teacher who was allegedly "romantically involved" with a student have yet to begin, a Centennial Secondary teacher started his conditional sentence last month after pleading guilty to charges under the same Criminal Code of Canada section.

The NOW has learned that Scott Bancroft, a teacher at Centennial Secondary who also coached extra-curricular sports teams, pleaded guilty to one charge of inappropriate touching of a minor for a sexual purpose in December.

Bancroft was listed on the school's website - last updated November 2005 - as a social studies teacher and coach of the junior boys basketball and co-ed tennis teams.

He was charged under Section 153 1(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada - touching a minor for a sexual purpose - on Sept. 13, 2006.

Bancroft entered a guilty plea in Port Coquitlam provincial court on Dec. 7, 2006, and was sentenced on Jan. 9, 2007.

He received a 10-month conditional sentence, 18 months probation and is required to pay a $100 victim surcharge due Jan. 9, 2008.

Bancroft was also ordered to provide a sample of his DNA, in addition to having his name added to the national sex offender registry for 10 years.

Mykle Ludvigsen, communications co-ordinator for the B.C. College of Teachers, confirmed that Bancroft is still a member in good standing of the college.

"In terms of where he is in our process, we certainly have opened a file on Mr. Bancroft, and he is currently sitting with our preliminary investigation subcommittee," he said.

School District 43 staff were asked whether Bancroft had been suspended with or without pay, or terminated. Spokesperson Cheryl Quinton confirmed via e-mail late Tuesday that Bancroft "is not still at work."

District 43 board chair Melissa Hyndes said she could not "answer anything about that particular case.

"That was handled by senior district staff and the police investigation," Hyndes said. "The district took appropriate action and then it was handed off to the RCMP."

Bancroft's guilty plea precedes last week's news that Grade 11 English teacher Gordon Belec at Terry Fox Secondary has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor.

Belec is scheduled for first appearance in Port Coquitlam provincial court on Feb. 19.

Marie Crowther, acting registrar for the B.C. College of Teachers, told The NOW that two teachers from the same district charged under the same section of the Criminal Code is not something the college is concerned about.

"The college has 65,000 members, so our numbers are very large and the number of instances are very low," Crowther said.

"The college does have processes in place to make sure these cases are caught and dealt with as long as everyone plays their part in reporting that information to us. I think in the last little while there has been heightened awareness because of cases that go back 30 years ...

"But no, again, when you look at 65,000 members, these are two individuals and all I can reiterate is that the systems were in place."

published on 02/07/2007