A Vancouver former band teacher has been permanently banned from teaching after admitting to sexually assaulting a student. Robert Kyle Ledingham will never be able to seek reinstatement of his teaching certification in British Columbia following his guilty plea to one count of sexual assault in May 2024, as per a consent agreement from the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. Ledingham, a certified teacher since May 2008, initially faced charges of two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual assault in September 2020.
The accusations involved a student who volunteered at a high school within the Vancouver School District where Ledingham taught high school band between April and June 2019. The student’s identity is protected by a court-issued publication ban, and they attended a different high school than where Ledingham taught.
In his guilty plea, Ledingham admitted to one count of sexual assault, leading to the remaining charges being dropped as per the agreement. He received a 15-month conditional sentence, with a condition that he cannot seek employment in any role involving authority over individuals under 18. The Vancouver School District terminated his employment in November 2024.
Acknowledging his actions as professional misconduct, the former band teacher agreed to a lifelong ban on applying for a teaching certificate.