BC elementary school teacher suspended for sharing inappropriate social media content with students

An elementary school teacher in British Columbia has received a one-month suspension for sharing sexually suggestive social media content with students.

Tariq Mahmood Malik, who worked as a teacher-librarian in North Vancouver, admitted to acting inappropriately.

According to the BC Commissioner for Teaching Regulation, during the 2023-24 school year, Malik "told several students at the school about his social media accounts," which contained "video content by Malik which was not appropriate for elementary-aged students" such as "sexually suggestive and explicit content, images of scantily dressed women, and derogatory and stereotypical presentations of women in videos about the 'types' of women to date in Vancouver and in Vietnam."

A number of students were said to have viewed Malik's content, some followed him on Instagram and YouTube, and a few were even contacted via direct message. He even followed at least one student back.

Aside from the social media content, Malik also acted inappropriately at school. He rode a Kawasaki motorbike and had a keychain that said "Kawasexy," which he displayed in view of the students and on one occasion asked if it was "cool."

Malik also "touched female students on the shoulders and the back of their neck, hugged at least three female students," and "poked their stomachs." He was known to stand "very close" to female students, causing some to feel "uncomfortable."

On another occasion, Sabrina Carpenter was being discussed in class, and Malik proceeded to pull up a picture of her in a bikini, telling students he thought she was "cute."

In June 2024, he asked a group of female students in Grades 6 and 7 to appear in a video for his YouTube channel, with their parents' permission. He went ahead with it even when one student's parent did not sign, and another's thought it was for a school project.

Malik was initially suspended on August 30, then on November 29 he was suspended again without pay for a 30 working day period from December 2 to January 24 and ordered to complete a course on professional boundaries.

He has since been suspended a third time from January 27 to February 21. If he fails to complete the aforementioned course by then, he will have his teaching certificate suspended until he does.