Iqaluit teacher facing sex charges to appear April 12 at Nunavut Court of Justice

The Iqaluit teacher, as yet unidentified, who is charged with three counts of sexual interference will appear April 12 in the Nunavut Court of Justice. (FILE PHOTO)

(Updated, April 3, 9:25 a.m.)

An Iqaluit teacher, a man whose identity has not yet been officially revealed, who faces three counts of sexual interference has not yet appeared at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit.

Court clerks said during the afternoon of April 2 that they had not yet received any information about the charges against the teacher or when that teacher is scheduled to appear in court for a first appearance.

But the RCMP said late April 2 that the teacher will appear April 12 at 9:30 a.m. in the Nunavut Court of Justice.

Police have also confirmed that the teacher, referred to as “he” in an email communication, appeared “before a Justice of the Peace while in cells.”

“That’s where the charges were laid,” said the RCMP.

In general, individuals who face charges must appear in court within 24 to 48 hours after being charged. Or they may be released on a promise to appear in court.

“Charges have now been laid and the teacher has been released with conditions to abide by, including no contact with persons under the age of 16 unless accompanied by a responsible adult, until the next court appearance,” the Iqaluit RCMP said in its March 30 news release.

Police have said they will not identify the teacher or the school where he teaches — there are six schools in Iqaluit.

“As in any case of sexual assault involving the public education system, the police are not in the position to release details that may disclose the identity of victims,” the RCMP said April 2 in response to a request for additional information.

Paul Mooney, the superintendent of the Qikiqtani School Operations, told Nunatsiaq News that he learned that a teacher had been charged with sexual interference only after hearing the news from the RCMP.

But Mooney said that he cannot identify the teacher or school and he cannot comment more on the situation of the accused teacher because there’s “an interest in protecting the employees.”

However, he did say that, in similar circumstances, when similar allegations are made against a teacher, the teacher is put on paid leave until the end of the court process.

It’s paid leave because the suspension is “not a disciplinary action.”

Mooney advised parents in Iqaluit who are worried about whether the teacher taught at their school to call their school principal and ask for more information.

The QSO in turn can provide support to the school, its staff and its students as needed, Mooney said.