Curtis Vizza was fired and then banned for teaching for five years for inappropriate, sexually related exchanges with a former student. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

inappropriate conduct

Nanaimo teacher fired for sexting former student

Nov 28, 2023 | 2:45 PM

NANAIMO — Sexually charged messages between a Nanaimo high school educator and a former female student resulted in him losing his job and later being handed a five year teaching ban.

A consent resolution agreement with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, signed by Curtis Alexandro Vizza was published online Tuesday, Nov. 28 and outlined his unprofessional conduct.

The agreement stated a student, who graduated in 2019, connected with Vizza in Dec. 2020 on Snapchat and the two began exchanging messages, which became increasingly sexualized, including Vizza sending explicit photos of himself.

Vizza was advised in a June 1, 2021 letter from School District 68 he was being investigated for inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature and was told not to discuss the matter with any student or staff member other than his union representative.

The following day Vizza wrote to his former student apologizing for his conduct.

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The agreement also outlined a pattern of behaviour of female students hanging out in Vizza’s classroom.

“Some of these students would confide in Vizza about personal matters, including health, fitness, anxiety, sex, pregnancy scares, drugs, relationships, and problems in general. Vizza provided these students with advice, although he was not a counsellor.

Vizza, a Nanaimo resident, was fired by the Nanaimo-Ladysmith district in November, 2021.

Under the agrement he won’t teach in the province’s public or private K-12 education system for at least the next five years.

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