A B.C. teacher has agreed to a one-day suspension and remedial education after she “consumed a shot of a clear liquid” alongside students who showed up at her home at 10 p.m. with a bottle of vodka. The students, who were not of legal drinking age, explained that they were participating in a “Grade 12 challenge” that involved completing certain tasks to receive points, according to a consent resolution agreement Jacqueline Rochelle Sheppet signed with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation last month. “One of the tasks was to take a shot of alcohol with one of their teachers,” the agreement reads, noting that “at least one of the students” drank a shot of vodka in Sheppet’s presence. “The students were on Facetime with another Grade 12 student while the shots were consumed.” According to the document, which was published on the commissioner’s website Tuesday, Sheppet was teaching at a high school in Vancouver when the incident occurred in June 2023. On the day after the incident, a Saturday, Sheppet told the school’s principal about the “challenge” at a graduation event. Before she could share any details, the agreement says, the principal told her they could discuss the challenge on Monday. When Monday came, Sheppet omitted the students’ visit to her home from her explanation of the challenge, according to the consent agreement. The document also describes two incidents in which Sheppet raised her voice at Grade 11 students, also in 2023. In one instance, a student asked to be dismissed early because their parents were waiting for them outside. Sheppet refused because the student had to write an exam. The interaction “lasted several minutes” and made the student cry, according to the agreement. In the other case, a student brought a note from their parents seeking to reschedule one of the student’s exams. The note didn’t explain the reason a rescheduling was needed, and Sheppet initially refused, saying the student could not miss the exam without an appropriate explanation. “Sheppet followed the student to the office, where she found the student crying and speaking with another school staff member,” the consent agreement reads. “Sheppet spoke to the student and staff member in a raised voice and sharp tone. Later that same day, Sheppet spoke directly with the student’s parent. Upon learning of the reason for the student’s absence, Sheppet agreed to allow the student to write the final examination at a later date.” According to the agreement, the school district suspended Sheppet for five days in September 2023 in response to the incidents. The commissioner began investigating in August 2024. In the document, Sheppet admits that her behaviour constituted professional misconduct and that she failed to treat students with dignity and respect and failed to model appropriate behaviour for the safety of students. She agreed to a one-day suspension of her teaching certificate, which will take place on June 5 of this year. She also agreed to complete the course “Reinforcing Respectful Professional Boundaries” through the Justice Institute of B.C. by Sept. 7.
