A Vancouver former band teacher has been permanently barred from teaching after admitting to sexually assaulting a student. Robert Kyle Ledingham will never be eligible to obtain a teaching license in British Columbia following his guilty plea to one count of sexual assault in May 2024, as per an 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 misconduct incidents involved a student who volunteered at a high school within the Vancouver School District where Ledingham instructed high school band, occurring between April and June 2019. The student’s identity is protected by a court-issued publication ban, and they attended a different high school from Ledingham’s teaching location.
The former band teacher confessed to one count of sexual assault in May 2024, leading to the remaining charges being dropped. He received a 15-month conditional sentence, with one of the terms preventing him from seeking employment in roles involving authority over individuals under 18 years old. Ledingham was subsequently terminated by the Vancouver School District in November 2024.
In the agreement, Ledingham acknowledged his actions as professional misconduct, accepting a lifetime ban on reapplying for a teaching certificate.