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‘Intemperate, insulting’: B.C. teacher reprimanded for online comments about religion

John William Yetman made the comments in response to a Facebook invitation to Open Mosque Day B.C.
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John William Yetman made concerning comments in January 2019 in response to a Facebook invitation to Open Mosque Day B.C., according to documents published on Fev. 25, 2020 by the B.C.’s Teacher Regulation Branch. (Bloomberg photo by Andrew Harrer)

A B.C. high school teacher has been reprimanded for responding to an online invitation for an open house at a mosque with “intemperate and insulting” comments about religion.

John William Yetman made the comments in January 2019 in response to a Facebook invitation to Open Mosque Day B.C., according to documents published Tuesday by the B.C.’s Teacher Regulation Branch. Yetman has been registered as a teacher in B.C. since 1989.

The online event invited people to “explore B.C.’s major mosques as we open doors to welcome everyone,” the documents detail.

Yetman’s comments were not detailed in the notice, but described by Commissioner for Teacher regulation as “discourteous and disrespectful.”

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Upon seeing Yetman’s post, some people reported “feeling concerned that a teacher would display this level of intolerance,” the documents read.

After the concerns were brought to his attention, Yetman removed the post as well as other similar Facebook posts he made which were considered insulting of other major religions.

“Yetman acknowledges that these posts were not appropriate and could undermine his efforts to provide an inclusive learning environment for his students,” the document concludes.


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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