A former E.L. Crossley Secondary School teacher faces a disciplinary hearing before the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).
Bradley Ziegler, who has faced previous disciplinary action by the college, will appear to answer for conviction of assault charges in relation to an incident involving a woman he was in a relationship with.
Ziegler had been charged with assault of the woman back in October 2021, when he was alleged to have pulled the woman off a couch and pushed her. The woman received scratches to her arm and a bump on her head, the OCT said in a notice of hearing.
According to the college, Ziegler was found guilty of the assault in March 2023.
A spokesperson for the college would only confirm to PelhamToday that a hearing was to be held and the date posted online when it was set.
“Disciplinary hearings are held virtually and are open to the public,” said Gabrielle Barkany, senior communications officer for the college.
The District School Board of Niagara, meanwhile, said that Ziegler has not worked for the board since January 2021.
“DSBN is not at liberty to provide further commentary on this matter while OCT conducts its investigation and hearing,” said Milica Petkovic, DSBN public relations manager.
This will not be the first time that Ziegler has been brought before the college’s disciplinary board.
Back in October 2021, Ziegler was reprimanded and suspended by the college over several allegations that included unwanted touching of a three female colleagues, and a female student. The incidents in question were said to have occurred during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years when Ziegler was employed as a high school teacher in Niagara Falls.
When the hearing took place, Ziegler was teaching at Crossley.
He pleaded no contest at the hearing and, as a result, was reprimanded and suspended from teaching for four months after a joint submission to the panel was made by counsel for Ziegler and the college.
Ziegler was first hired by the DSBN in 1998 and worked as a teacher at Fort Erie Secondary School until it closed in 2016.
