Education minister’s reasons for revoking teacher’s licence ‘not good enough,’ judge decides

Court records show that longtime music teacher Robert Hrabluk’s professional certificate was cancelled on June 3, 2025.

Hrabluk applied for a judicial review of the penalty issued the day after receiving a lesser one that Education Minister Tracy Schmidt later said was an “administrative error.”

“I am not prepared to tolerate online grooming behaviour from a certified Manitoba teacher, even on a one time basis, as doing so would weaken public trust,” Schmidt wrote in her letter outlining why she was taking the most severe disciplinary action available to her.

Court of King’s Bench Justice Elissa Neville said in a new ruling that the minister’s reasons were “simply not good enough.”

Neville cited the teacher’s “successful and untarnished” career of more than 20 years, the non-sexualized nature of the messages he exchanged, and an erroneous one-year suspension notice signed by the minister.

The exact contents of Hrabluk’s communication with the Grade 8 student — which he rejected as being akin to grooming — were not published in the 36-page ruling released about 15 months after the cancellation.

Schmidt described the messages as “persistent, secretive and obviously inappropriate” in her correspondence with the teacher.

Hrabluk, a Winnipeg-based musician, did not directly respond to requests for comment, but his legal team issued a statement.

Lawyers Kristen Worbanski and Amanda Cheys said the ruling underscores the importance of “procedural fairness and sound reasoning” in making decisions that can have profound consequences on a teacher’s career and livelihood.

“The matter has been remitted to the minister for a new decision, and we trust that it will receive the fair and thorough consideration it warrants,” they said.

Their client taught guitar and band classes in the Louis Riel School Division for more than two decades.

He became the subject of a division investigation in July 2024 after he informed his employer that a parent had contacted him with concerns about his online communication with their child.

A 13-year-old girl had “followed” Hrabluk on a social media platform and initiated direct messaging. Their intermittent online communication spanned approximately four months until the student’s parent discovered it.

Neville’s Aug. 26 ruling was published two years after the division shared its findings with Hrabluk and alerted government officials.

The Child and Family Services All Nations Coordinated Response Network, which concluded there was no abuse in the incident, was also contacted.

The music teacher was initially ordered to serve a five-day unpaid suspension and reassigned to a new school where he required “intense supervision.” He was also tasked with completing additional training.

The division concluded Hrabluk demonstrated genuine remorse in hindsight and “could be trusted in the future with students.”

After reviewing the case, Schmidt, then a new education minister, informed Hrabluk she was considering suspending him. She invited him to make a submission and allowed him to voluntarily give up his certificate during the probe.

Manitoba’s teacher registry — established less than a month after Hrabluk forfeited his licence — indicates his 2001 certificate was surrendered but it is in good standing.

Hrabluk was among the teachers caught in the province’s transition to a new disciplinary system that’s been in place since Jan. 6, 2025.

An independent teacher commissioner now oversees investigations into misconduct allegations brought forward by anyone and publishes consequences that were previously kept behind closed doors.

Hrabluk’s case was handled under the old system, which gave only the education minister powers to refer incidents to a certificate review committee.

The committee ultimately recommended his certificate be cancelled based on a balance of probabilities he had failed to adhere to division policies, recognize professional boundaries and the potential impact of his conduct on a minor, among other reasons.

Hrabluk disputed their conclusion earlier this year. He argued in a March submission that he was unaware of his employer’s social media rules, which came into effect long after his onboarding process.

Louis Riel prohibits staff from maintaining contact with a student outside of school by telephone, letters or any electronic format, including social media, “beyond the usual student-staff relationship.”

Employees can engage in online communication only via their “divisional account” on Microsoft Teams or another approved platform.

Opposition education critic Wayne Ewasko said this ruling highlights the need for a third-party investigator.

Ewasko, who was a school guidance counsellor before he ran for the Progressive Conservatives, introduced the legislation that underpins the new disciplinary system in 2023.

“This particular case should’ve been sent to the commissioner,” the former education minister said, adding the confusion surrounding Hrabluk’s certificate may have been avoided if the NDP had rolled out the registry sooner.

Schmidt said her office, which is “very proud” of the registry, is reviewing the late-summer ruling.

“My top priority is always the health and the safety of students. That’s always going to guide my decision-making,” she said in an interview Thursday.

Neville has ordered the minister to impose a penalty that is supported by evidence and specific submissions related to this incident.

She took issue with the fact the cancellation decision “largely mirrors” the suspension letter.

Louis Riel spokesperson Cody Sellar said in a statement that the division cannot comment in any case where a teaching certificate is “actively under review.”

Hrabluk was last listed in the division’s public sector compensation disclosure report in 2024, when he earned about $116,000.

The Manitoba Teachers’ Society warns its members not to use email, text or messaging apps with students without parental permission.

“And then only during regular school hours or approved working hours — and only in relation to school activities,” its online safety resource states.

— With files from Chris Kitching

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca