A Vancouver ex-band instructor has been permanently barred from teaching following his admission of guilt to a sexual assault charge involving a student. Robert Kyle Ledingham will be ineligible to re-attain a teaching license in British Columbia after confessing to one count of sexual assault in May 2024, as detailed in a consent agreement from the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. Ledingham, a certified teacher since May 2008, faced initial charges of two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual assault in September 2020.
The accusations centered on a student who volunteered at a high school in the Vancouver School District where Ledingham instructed the high school band between April and June 2019, as per the agreement. To protect the student’s identity, a court-ordered publication ban prevents their identification. The student attended a different high school from Ledingham’s teaching location.
In his admission, the band teacher pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in May 2024, resulting in the remaining charges being dropped, according to the agreement. Ledingham was handed a 15-month conditional sentence, with a stipulation that he refrain from seeking employment in roles of authority over individuals under 18. The Vancouver School District terminated his employment in November 2024.
Acknowledging his actions as professional misconduct, Ledingham agreed in the consent agreement that he is permanently prohibited from applying for a teaching certificate.
