Court date set for former School District 52 teacher

Almost a year will have gone by when Dana Monteith makes his preliminary court appearance in November on three counts of sexual exploitation of young person.

The legal process is scheduled to get underway at the Prince Rupert Court House on November 5th, at which time both the Crown and Defence will begin to make their presentations on the alleged incidents that left local residents shocked and dismayed in late 2007.

Tuesday’s Daily News provided some background on the case and the impact it had on the School District last year.

Preliminary hearing date set for ex-teacher
Dana Allison Monteith is facing three counts of sexual exploitation
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Page one

Former Charles Hays Secondary School teacher Dana Monteith is scheduled to next appear in Prince Rupert Provincial Court on Nov. 5.

Yesterday morning in Prince Rupert Provincial Court Monteith's lawyer told the court via telephone that the defence was prepared to proceed with a preliminary hearing on the tentative November date, as did the Crown attorney.

Dana Allison Monteith was arrested on three counts of sexual exploitation of a young person on Dec. 22, 2007, and appeared before a justice of the peace the following day.

He was later released on nine strict conditions, which include not having contact with any female person under the age of 18 at his residence; and not being in the company of any female person under 18 except in the company of an adult older than 25 years.

The offences were alleged to have taken place between June 2005 and July 2007, and it is alleged that he used his position as a teacher to facilitate relationships with his victims, both current and former students.

Superintendent of Schools Eric Mercer began an investigation into the allegations against Monteith shortly after the charges were laid, a process that ran parallel and in cooperation with the RCMP’s criminal investigation.

Monteith was initially suspended with pay, and after making a recommendation to the board, School District 52 trustees approved Mercer’s suggestion to suspend Monteith without pay.
At a special meeting of the board of Education earlier this month, Prince Rupert School District 52 then decided to terminate Monteith from his employment with the district.