Sask. teacher charged with misconduct from 30 years ago

A Saskatchewan teacher will soon be facing a list of 30-year-old allegations that include having sleepovers with a student, and organizing a strip basketball practice for a school team.

The allegations of professional misconduct against Martina Cain stem from incidents between 1986 and 1989, and come from a student at that time.

According to a notice of hearing from the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board, there are four allegations.

First, that when the student was in Grades 9,10, and 11 Cain had sleepovers with the student in Cain’s home and they slept in the same bed. The notice of hearing alleges this happened every couple of months when the student’s parents had to be away, when the student had an early basketball practice, or when the student was angry with their parents.

The notice stated the first time this happened Cain told the student they could either sleep on the floor or in the bed with her, despite there being a couch the student could have slept on.

The second allegation is that when the student was in Grades 8, 9, or 10, while on a basketball trip Cain encouraged the student to steal a food tray from an A&W restaurant – and the student did so.

The third allegations alleges that, while the student was in Grade 10, Cain organized a strip practice for the girls’ basketball team in the school gym. The girls had to shoot the ball from the free-throw line – if the girl missed they had to remove a piece of clothing, if they made the basket she could put a piece of clothing back on. The notice said the girls covered the gym doors with paper, and in some cases, the students lost their shorts and their bras.

The last allegation stated that while the student was in Grade 10, Cain invited her to a hot tub at a home where she was house-sitting. Cain is accused of telling the student to take off her bathing suit before getting in the hot tub.

None of these allegations have been proven in a hearing.

Cain was principal at Churchill Community High School in La Ronge as recently as 2015, but it’s unclear where she was teaching at the time of the allegations.

The misconduct hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7, 2017, in Regina.