John Barsby Secondary School in Nanaimo. (Google Maps)
A Nanaimo high school teacher has been placed on leave as the school district investigates allegations that he tried to meet up with someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy on the dating site Grindr.
The John Barsby Secondary School teacher is the subject of a series of social media posts by a self-described "undercover sting organization that intercepts adults coming to meet underage children on Vancouver Island."
The Facebook group South Island Predator Publishing posted screenshots of messages allegedly exchanged between the teacher and a group member who was posing as a minor.
"We have received inquiries regarding allegations against a teacher at John Barsby Community School that have been widespread on social media," the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District said in a statement it sent to parents and provided to CTV News on Tuesday.
"The district takes such allegations seriously and has commenced our processes to investigate this matter. The teacher has been placed on leave pending the outcome of the district’s investigation."
The school district says it appreciates the concerns raised by community members and "will address this matter fairly and as quickly as possible."
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