Sask. teacher accused of slapping, touching 5 female students' buttocks

A Saskatchewan teacher and volleyball coach is being accused of slapping, touching or groping five female students on their buttocks.

The allegations made against Lyle Gartner span from September 2011 to November 2015.

Gartner, who taught in Wakaw, will face a disciplinary hearing of the Saskatchewan Professional Teachers Regulatory Board on April 11.

The complaints made by five different students are detailed in a notice of hearing.

In the first case, Gartner is accused of touching a student on the buttocks while posing for a team picture. The following year, he's accused of touching her buttocks again while walking past her.

The complainant says he met with her alone in a classroom, telling her she could play on the more competitive volleyball team if she took back previous allegations made against him, and promised not to make allegations against him again.

In the case of the second student, Gartner is alleged to have slapped her in the buttocks after she delivered a bag of volleyballs to his hotel room during a tournament in 2012.

In the third case, Gartner is alleged to have pulled a student aside, put his arm around her waist and grabbed her buttocks.

The fourth case accuses Gartner of slapping a student in the buttocks during a volleyball practice. He's also accused of applying support tape to her leg, buttocks and waist, and stretching out her leg muscles. This sometimes happened in private "making the student feel uncomfortable."

Lastly, Gartner is accused of slapping a student on the buttocks while at a community dance.

If found guilty of professional misconduct, Gartner may have his teacher's certificate suspended or could lose it altogether. He may also face a fine or be required to pay the cost of the investigation and hearing.