Retired teacher denies forcing former students to play strip basketball

REGINA — A veteran, retired teacher has denied any professional misconduct with members of a girls’ basketball team she coached in the late 1980s.

Martina Cain testified in her own defence Wednesday at a disciplinary hearing into accusations made by four former students at Churchill Community High School in La Ronge, Sask.

Among the charges levelled by four former students, who are now in their 40s, is that Cain made them play “strip basketball” during practices, having to remove an article of clothing each time they missed a shot.

Cain told the hearing she believes the strip basketball happened, but said she was not present when it did.

She also denied one former student’s accusation that Cain asked her to steal a tray at a fast-food restaurant and asked her to take her clothes off when they were in a hot tub together.

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Cain, who was principal at the La Ronge high school when she retired in 2015, testified she has never asked a student to steal anything and has never been in a hottub with a student.

She did admit to sharing a bed with that same student when the girl’s parents asked if she could stay over when they were out of town, but said the only other option would have been for the teen to sleep on the floor.

That woman told the hearing earlier this week that she kept her clothes on and there was no inappropriate touching.

“It’s totally inappropriate for a teacher to have a student sleeping in the same bed, or to be in a hottub or direct them to remove an A & W tray or to do any of the strip basketball,” Roger LePage, attorney for the disciplinary committee, said outside the hearing.

The committee is asking for a fine of up to $10,000 and revocation of Cain’s teaching licence.

“The last 27 years she’s had an exemplary record, glowing reports on every performance review, letters of reference from parents, teachers, co-workers, and not one single complaint,” said Cain’s attorney, Jay Watson, who is asking for the charges to be dismissed.

A written decision is to be released sometime in the coming weeks.

(CTV Regina)

The Canadian Press