The Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) has found Michael Anthony Del Grande, a certified teacher and former Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) trustee, guilty of professional misconduct, concluding a years‑long disciplinary process triggered by complaints about his conduct toward a student and comments made during heated board debates in 2019.
According to the OCT disciplinary notice, Del Grande’s misconduct occurred during two board committee meetings in September and November 2019, as well as in subsequent media interviews.
At a Sept. 25, 2019 Catholic Values Subcommittee meeting, Del Grande directed comments and behaviour toward a student who opposed showing an anti‑abortion film in schools. The OCT found that he rolled his eyes, snickered, used a hostile tone, and told the student, “You’ve been brainwashed by the liberals.”
The College also found that Del Grande later raised his voice at the student, leaving her feeling uncomfortable and upset.
At a Nov. 7, 2019 Student Achievement Committee meeting, Del Grande opposed adding “gender identity,” “gender expression,” “family status,” and “marital status” to the board’s Code of Conduct. He described the proposal as a “slippery slope” and suggested that if those protections were added, the board should also include dozens of unrelated sexual terms — including bestiality, pedophilia, vampirism, and other paraphilias.
The College ruled that these actions amounted to verbal abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, disgraceful or unprofessional conduct, and conduct unbecoming a member under Ontario Regulation 437/97.
He has been an OCT member since 2002, holding qualifications in history, religious education, and business studies – accounting, and has completed the college’s sexual abuse prevention program.
Del Grande’s teaching certificate remains listed as in good standing, but that could change after the penalty hearing later this month, scheduled for Aug. 26.
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