A number of teachers in Ontario faced charges of sexual assault this year in incidents involving students. Three different cases of teacher-student sexual assault in Ontario have made it to the mainstream media over the last few months. The most recent of those involves a teacher at an Etobicoke school, who is facing charges for sexually assaulting a female student.
According to Toronto Police Services, the teacher, 35-year-old Justin Izzo, sexually assaulted a female student back in December of 2016 while on school property. The incident reportedly occurred at Father John Redmond Secondary School.
According to the report, Izzo has been an employee of the Toronto Catholic District School Board since 2012 and has been working at Father Redmond Secondary School since 2014.
Izzo's case, although disturbing, is only the tip of the iceberg. Last week, Cassandra Bell, an educational assistant in Ontario, faced charges of sexual assault and sexual interference in an incident involving a student.
According to Halton Regional Police, the offences took place between July 2018 and January 2019. Bell worked at the E.C. Drury School for the Deaf which is located in Milton, Ontario.
Back in March, Toronto Police arrested yet another teacher in connection to sexual assault accusations. According to Police, a 15-year-old female student was assaulted by her teacher after being offered a ride home to talk about “school issues”.
The accused, 36-year-old Brian Ross, had been an employee of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. Ross taught at McLuhan Catholic School from 2006 to 2016 and Senator O’Connor College School from 2016 to 2019.
Police later revealed that the incident had allegedly occurred back in March of 2017. As a result of the charges, Ross was suspended without pay. He made his first court appearance this month, on May 3rd.