Class on satire turns costly lesson for Vancouver teacher

A Vancouver substitute teacher has learned a costly lesson in judgement after using distasteful and profanity-laden music videos to teach satire to high-school English students.

The B.C. Teacher Regulation Branch has reprimanded Cory Ray Steeves for professional misconduct.

According to a disciplinary consent resolution, the school district also suspended him for five days after he showed his Grade 10 class 'Big Bad Wolf' by Duck Sauce and The Lonely Island's 'I'm on a Boat'.

No lyrics beyond 'Big Bad Wolf'

"The 'Big Bad Wolf' video depicts different people with human heads as their genitalia. These heads simulate a variety of activities, including urination and sexual acts. This video contains no lyrics beyond repetition of the phrase 'big bad wolf,'" the consent resolution says.

"'I'm on a Boat' consists primarily of profanity."

According to the branch, Steeves told students that the videos could be offensive to some people, "and that if anyone wanted to leave they could. One student left the room."

It's not the first time trying to mix pop culture with education has resulted in trouble for B.C. teachers.

In 2010, an elementary school teacher was suspended for 10 days after teaching her Grade 3 class the lyrics to the Lady Gaga song 'Bad Romance',

And in 2012, a Vancouver Island teacher was suspended for showing his Grade 4 class a video of scantily-clad beach-goers lip-synching Bette Midler's 'Mele Kalikimaka'.

According to the consent resolution, Steeves has also agreed to complete a course called 'Reinforcing Respectful Professional Boundaries.'