A Chilliwack high school teacher was reprimanded and briefly suspended from teaching in 2024 for showing a graphic film depicting an industrial accident to a Grade 11/12 metalwork class.
Bradley Bootsma’s failure to “create a safe learning environment” was the subject of a report made to the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation, from his employer, the Chilliwack School District on June 7, 2024, and an investigation was subsequently ordered by the Commissioner in July 2024.
The 2026 consent resolution agreement between the parties states: “On July 31, 2024, the District issued a Letter of Discipline, pursuant to which Bootsma was suspended for two days without pay and required to meet with his school administrator for support with ensuring he is sourcing appropriate learning resources.”
The agreement notes the context of the film, which was that the school metalworking shop had two lathes, and the teacher was educating students about equipment safety and lathes.
“He told the students that he was going to play a video where a person reaches over a lathe and is sucked in and dies,” the agreement said.
“He told the students that if they did not want to watch the video, they could look away or step outside the shop.”
Bootsma then played the video for the class that he had sourced online. The film showed what appears to be a worker at an industrial shop reaching into a lathe, getting pulled into the machine and becoming injured.
The video was 52 seconds long and had no audio.
The teacher admitted to the facts set out in the agreement and admitted the conduct, showing the video, “constitutes professional misconduct” and was contrary to professional standards.
“In determining that a reprimand is an appropriate consequence, the Commissioner considered the following factors:
a. Bootsma failed to create a safe learning environment.
b. Bootsma is a relatively inexperienced teacher.”
Bootsma served the suspension on June 26 and 27, 2024 and met with his school administrator on June 5, July 5, and September 11, 2024.