STF Professional Complaint Process

Making a Professional Complaint

The Teachers’ Federation Act, 2006 grants the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation the authority to receive and review complaints regarding the conduct or practice of its members. This legislation, along with The Registered Teachers Act, The Education Act, 1995 and The Education Regulations, 1986, provides the framework for the teacher regulation in Saskatchewan.

The Federation is required by law to refer all complaints that raise or potentially raise a question of professional misconduct or professional incompetence to the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board.

Professional Complaints Process Regarding STF Members

To initiate a professional complaint regarding the conduct or practice of a member of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, please complete, print and sign this Professional Complaint Reporting Form and forward it to:

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation
Attn: Executive Director
Professional Complaints Process
2317 Arlington Avenue
Saskatoon SK  S7J 2H8

Federation members include all teachers and school-based administrators (principals, vice-principals and associate-principals) employed in a PreK-12 separate or public school in Saskatchewan.

If you have any questions or require assistance to complete this form, please contact the Federation at 1-800-667-7762 or 306-373-1660 in Saskatoon.

Upon receipt of the completed form, the Federation will:

• Open a professional complaint file.
• Send a letter of acknowledgement to the complainant(s).
• Send a letter and a copy of the complaint to the teacher who is the subject of the complaint.
• Forward a copy of the complaint and any relevant information to the STF Professional Complaints Committee to initiate a professional complaint review.
• If the complaint raises or potentially raises a question of professional misconduct or professional incompetence, it will be referred by the Federation to the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board.

Following the review and any subsequent proceedings held, the Federation will:

• Send letters to inform the complainant(s) and the teacher who is the subject of the complaint of the status of the complaint review and any subsequent proceedings .

Please note:

Anyone who has reasonable grounds to believe that a child is being abused, neglected or in need of protection shall comply with any legal duty, pursuant to The Child and Family Services Act, or otherwise, to report the matter to the appropriate authority which may be a police officer or a child protection officer.

Professional Complaints Process Regarding Non-STF Members

If you have a professional complaint regarding a teacher or school-based administrator (principal, vice-principal or associate-principal) working in a qualified independent school or a federally funded school on reserve, please contact the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board directly.

If you have a professional complaint regarding an out-of-scope administrator working for a school division, please contact either the League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents or the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board.

Please note:

Employers of teachers are required to report, in writing, to the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board any suspension, termination, resignation or retirement of a teacher whose suspension, termination, resignation or retirement has resulted from conduct that constitutes professional incompetence or professional misconduct that may relate to the suitability of the teacher to hold a teacher’s certificate.

Regardless of any other avenues taken to report and/or resolve questions or concerns about a teacher’s conduct or practice, anyone (including students, parents and the public) can make a formal professional complaint to the Federation, to the employing school board or conseil scolaire, and/or to the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board. It is important to keep in mind that there are two distinct sets of expectations and procedures between the employer and the profession and that they are not interchangeable.

It is also important to note that is some cases, other authorities such as the courts or Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission may supersede any other complaints process. This may result in delays to the resolution of Federation professional complaints processes.