Toronto teacher clocked doing 146 km/h on Hwy. 401 with 12 students in van
The OPP ticketed Paul Melnik, a teacher at Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School, Sunday as he transported his basketball team to a Windsor tournament.
A Toronto high school teacher was caught speeding nearly 50 km/h over the limit on Hwy. 401 as he drove his basketball team to a tournament.
Ontario Provincial Police clocked Paul Melnik, a teacher at Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School, driving 146 km/h on Sunday as he transported 12 students in a van to the provincial championships in Windsor.
OPP Const. Aaron McPhail said Melnik received a speeding ticket, and a ticket for not having the proper licence to transport more than 10 passengers.
Two students were taken in a police cruiser to a nearby OPP detachment, where Melnik met them with his van, and “other arrangements” were made for the safe transportation of the team, said McPhail.
Melnick refused to discuss the incident when reached by phone Tuesday.
“What am I going to say?” Melnik said, still in Windsor for the championships.
“I dispute it all,” he said. “Whatever I say it’s going to be misconstrued.”
Melnik, who earned his Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto in 1996, coaches arguably one of the best teams in the province.
His team was 3-0 at the Ontario championships heading into the semifinal Tuesday night.
“I just want to focus my team through two more games,” he said. “My kids will travel safely to and from their games.”
John Yan, spokesman for the Toronto Catholic District School Board, said the board is investigating the incident. No disciplinary action has been taken against Melnik, and Yan would not “speculate” if any would be coming.
“Would you be suspended if caught going 45 over?” asked Yan. “He has been instructed not to transport students to any more games.”
Yan added the van was rented and the school board has no policies on using 15-person vans, which have been banned elsewhere for safety.
The Greater Essex District School Board banned the vans following the tragic death of seven high school basketball players in New Brunswick five years ago. New Brunswick...
Veronica Asamoah-Darko, whose 16-year-old son Nathan plays on the team and is in Windsor, said she is angry her only son was put at risk.
“I’m very, very mad,” she said when reached at her Etobicoke home. “There could have been an accident and they could have been killed.”
Ann Andrachuk, chair of TCDSB, said the teacher’s actions were “inappropriate” and she hasn’t heard of such a case before.
“I’m not pleased,” she said. “I would have some expectations of discipline.”
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/03/05/toronto_teacher_clocked_doing_146_kmh_on_hwy_401_with_12_...
