To: Indian Creek Road Public School, Lambton Kent District School Board, Gary Girard Director of Education, Ontario College of Teachers
School: Indian Creek Road Public School
Date: March 15, 2026

We, the undersigned students, parents, and members of the school community, respectfully submit this petition requesting a formal investigation into the conduct of Jeffrey Gartshore and appropriate action regarding their continued employment at Indian Creek Road Public School.

Our concerns relate to conduct that appears inconsistent with the professional and ethical standards required of educators in Ontario, particularly those outlined by the Ontario College of Teachers and the regulations established under the Ontario College of Teachers Act, 1996.

Under Ontario Regulation 437/97 Professional Misconduct, teachers are required to maintain professional boundaries with students and uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Conduct that may constitute professional misconduct includes:

- Failing to maintain the standards of the profession 
- Abusing a student physically, sexually, verbally, psychologically, or emotionally 
- Engaging in conduct that would reasonably be regarded as disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional 
- Exploiting a professional position of authority or trust with respect to a student 

The Ontario College of Teachers recognizes that sexual misconduct does not only include physical contact, but also behaviours that undermine professional boundaries or place students in vulnerable positions.

Examples of conduct that may constitute grooming or boundary violations include, but are not limited to:

- Developing inappropriate personal relationships with students that extend beyond the professional educator-student relationship 
- Communicating with students in ways that are secretive, overly personal, or outside appropriate educational purposes, including through private messaging or social media 
- Making comments, jokes, or remarks of a sexual or suggestive nature directed at or in the presence of students 
- Attempting to build trust or emotional dependency with a student for the purpose of future inappropriate conduct 
- Creating situations where a student is isolated, singled out for special attention, or placed in a position of personal vulnerability 
- Engaging in conduct that may reasonably be interpreted as preparatory behaviour intended to normalize inappropriate interactions or sexual misconduct

Within safeguarding and educational policy frameworks, such conduct is commonly described as “grooming”, which refers to a pattern of behaviour used by an adult in a position of authority to gradually lower professional boundaries, gain a student’s trust, and create conditions in which exploitation becomes possible.

Documented Pattern of Behaviour

Concerns regarding professional misconduct often arise not from a single isolated incident but from a pattern of behaviour over time that demonstrates a failure to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

Within safeguarding and professional regulatory frameworks used by the Ontario College of Teachers, patterns of conduct may be considered particularly significant when assessing potential grooming or boundary violations. Such patterns may include repeated behaviours that, when viewed collectively, demonstrate a progressive erosion of the appropriate educator-student relationship.

Examples of behavioural patterns that may raise safeguarding concerns include:

- Repeated personal or private communication with specific students outside appropriate educational contexts  
- Consistently singling out certain students for special attention, privileges, or personal interaction not afforded to others  
- Attempts to establish emotional dependency, such as positioning oneself as a student’s primary source of support in matters unrelated to education  
- Gradual escalation of personal familiarity, including increasingly informal, personal, or suggestive remarks over time  
- Repeated efforts to spend time alone with a student without clear educational justification  
- Behaviour that progressively lowers professional boundaries, normalizing interactions that would otherwise be considered inappropriate within a teacher-student relationship

Safeguarding guidance recognizes that grooming behaviour often involves incremental actions that may individually appear minor but collectively create a concerning pattern. For this reason, investigators and professional regulators are encouraged to evaluate the totality of behaviour over time, rather than assessing incidents in isolation.

We respectfully request that any investigation into the conduct of Jeffrey Gartshore consider all reported incidents collectively, including those that may appear minor on their own but may contribute to a broader pattern inconsistent with the professional standards required under Ontario Regulation 437/97 Professional Misconduct and the ethical expectations of the teaching profession.

Recognizing patterns of behaviour is essential to ensuring that potential boundary violations or grooming behaviours are identified and addressed before they escalate into more serious forms of misconduct.

Teachers hold positions of significant authority and influence, and Ontario’s professional standards require educators to maintain clear and strict professional boundaries at all times. Any conduct that undermines those boundaries compromises student safety, the integrity of the profession, and public trust in the education system.

Given the seriousness of these concerns and the responsibility of educational institutions to protect students, we respectfully request that the school administration and board:

1. Conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the reported conduct of Jeffrey Gartshore.
2. Implement immediate safeguards to protect students while the investigation is ongoing. 
3. Fulfill any mandatory reporting obligations to the Ontario College of Teachers if professional misconduct is suspected. 
4. Consider removal from the teaching position or other disciplinary measures if violations of professional standards are substantiated.

This petition is submitted with the goal of ensuring that all students are able to learn in an environment that is safe, respectful, and consistent with Ontario’s professional standards for educators.

Sincerely,

The Parents/Caregivers/Concerned Public