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 is prohibited from seeking re-certification in British Columbia after confessing to one instance of sexual assault in May 2024, as per an agreement from the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation. Ledingham, who had been a certified teacher since May 2008, initially faced charges of sexual exploitation and assault in September 2020.

The allegations revolved around a student who volunteered at a high school within the Vancouver School District where Ledingham taught high school band between April and June 2019. The student’s identity is protected by a court-ordered publication ban, and they attended a different high school from Ledingham’s teaching location.

Following his guilty plea to one sexual assault charge in May 2024, the other charges against the band teacher were dropped. He received a 15-month conditional sentence, with one condition being a prohibition from seeking employment in roles involving authority over minors. The Vancouver School District terminated Ledingham’s employment in November 2024.

In the consent agreement, Ledingham acknowledged his actions as professional misconduct and agreed to a lifetime ban on applying for a teaching certificate.