A B.C. teacher has had his teaching certificate cancelled after a disciplinary panel found he repeatedly violated professional boundaries with students despite years of warnings and disciplinary actions.
David Joseph Lamb was found to have committed professional misconduct in a January decision issued by a teacher discipline panel.
In a June 11 decision on consequences, the panel ordered the director of certification to cancel Lamb’s certificate of qualification.
The panel said Lamb’s misconduct included selectively offering some students assistance and using flawed or unfair assessment strategies that had the effect of favouring some students.
It also found he communicated with students by email at unreasonable times and in a way that burdened students and disregarded their emotional safety.
The panel said Lamb engaged in a wide range of boundary violations while attempting to build an improper personal relationship with Student A.
Those violations included giving the student excessive compliments, giving her gifts, communicating with her about personal matters and "emotionally manipulating" her for his own goals.
The commissioner sought cancellation of Lamb’s teaching certificate.
Lamb did not participate in the consequences stage and did not file submissions.
The panel said there was no evidence of mitigating circumstances, such as steps taken by Lamb to address his behaviour.
Instead, it found mostly aggravating factors, including prior misconduct, serious impacts on students and Lamb’s lack of insight.
According to the decision, Lamb had a significant history of professional boundary concerns.
He received letters of expectation in June 2006 and October 2009 about treating students respectfully and maintaining professional teacher-student relationships.
In May 2011, he received a letter of discipline about violating professional boundaries toward students.
In February 2012, he received another letter of expectation setting out several restrictions, including that students not be in his office area at any time, that he not transport students to school or personal events, that he not eat meals with students on or off school property, that he not communicate with students by cellphone or text, and that there be no evening music practices without the knowledge and consent of administration.
In December 2014, Lamb entered into a consent resolution agreement with the commissioner, admitting to a wide range of professional boundary violations, including involving himself in students’ personal lives.
He received a reprimand and agreed to complete a Justice Institute of BC course on professional boundaries.
The panel said those remedial steps did not improve his conduct.
Lamb was later disciplined again in October 2018, when the district issued him a disciplinary letter and suspended him without pay for one day.
The panel said his improper conduct continued even after the Teacher Regulation Branch began an investigation in January 2019.
The decision says Student A testified that she felt anxious, unhappy and manipulated by Lamb.
The panel also cited evidence from the school principal, who said students had reported feeling overwhelmed, pressured and uncomfortable in Lamb’s class.
Two parents asked to withdraw their children from Lamb’s band classes, while another student later dropped the class after struggling emotionally.
In spring 2019, a student told the principal that students felt uncomfortable and stressed because of Lamb, but were reluctant to say anything because they feared reprisal.
The panel also quoted Lamb’s 2018 discipline letter, which said students reported feeling mentally overwhelmed and bullied by him.
The letter said students felt trapped in the band room, pushed and isolated to stay in his classes, and obligated to take band or they would be letting other students down.
It also said multiple students reported feeling angry, uncomfortable, upset and disappointed by his actions.
The panel said Lamb showed little to no insight into his conduct or its impact on students.
It said he had consistently blamed students for his inappropriate behaviour, including by saying during district investigations that students had misperceived him, wanted to get him in trouble or made allegations that were lies or misperceptions.
The panel noted that Lamb still held a valid teaching certificate and had paid his annual fee in May 2025, meaning the risk of harm to students remained a continuing concern.
It said a serious penalty was needed to protect the public, deter similar conduct and maintain confidence in the teaching profession.
The panel said a suspension would have no impact because Lamb no longer works in the kindergarten to Grade 12 system.
It also noted medical evidence indicating Lamb, who is 68 and has debilitating medical issues, will likely never be able to return to work.
Still, the panel said cancellation was necessary because Lamb had continued his conduct despite repeated intervention.
“The Respondent has been repeatedly advised that his conduct is not acceptable and he has continued unabated,” the panel said.
“In order to maintain the public’s confidence in the teaching profession and to ensure no further impact to students, the panel considers cancellation necessary.”
