UPDATE: NOV 25 The Brockville Recorder & Times reported that the teacher we reported on in this Whistleblower story has been suspended from his job. "Rodney Palmer was suspended with pay on Tuesday, Nelson Williams, head of the school, told The Recorder and Times ." The newspaper reported that because of privacy laws, they could not discuss the reasons.

He's just retired -- after teaching school in Ontario for a quarter of a century. Jim Black is now speaking out, about what he saw -- behind closed doors -- as a two-year member of the Ontario College of Teachers, the body that regulates teachers in that province. For a time, Black sat on their Discipline Committee, which decides whether teachers who sexually abuse students should lose their teaching license for good. Black thinks parents will be shocked to hear that sometimes they don't.

"Even people that have been convicted...have the opportunity to become teachers again by making a presentation behind closed doors," Black told CTV News.

The case he was involved in -- which bothers Jim Black to this day -- was the reinstatement hearing of Rodney Peter Palmer. The Brockville high school teacher was convicted of sexual exploitation in 1990, and was sentenced to 15 months in jail. The court heard how Palmer made sexual advances toward a 16-year-old girl at Brockville Collegiate public school in the late 1980's, and then got another job at St. Mary's Catholic School. There, he took a 17-year-old female student home, several times, to have sex.

The judge who heard the case said he felt "general revulsion" over Palmer's behaviour. Right after his trial, the Minister of Education suspended his license indefinitely.

Then, in 2003, Palmer applied to the Ontario College of Teachers to get his teaching license back -- which he is allowed to do, by law. The College held a reinstatement hearing in private, which is their practice. Black was on the committee. The only evidence they considered was from Palmer himself -- and the committee decided to give his license back. Black was the lone member who voted against that.

"The only thing I would suggest to anybody that's had sexual gratification from children is...stay out of the classroom. You've defiled the profession," said Black.

CTV News found Rodney Palmer teaching again now -- at a private ESL boarding school in Brockville called Fulford Academy. Its students are teenagers from wealthy families -- whose parents are usually overseas -- and who need to learn English.

Outside the school, as Palmer was leaving for the day, CTV News asked him why he is teaching again. "Because that is my calling," he answered. "That's what I'm good at. And I'd never be satisfied until I had that cleared."

The Head of the School for Fulford Academy, Nelson Williams, told CTV News he and his business partner knew about Palmer's history, but they didn't know he'd done prison time. Williams said they hired him primarily because his license is now in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers.

"I don't think it's anyone's business," Palmer said. "Had I got drunk and killed somebody, I would have had my (driver's) licence back long before this." He insisted, "I am not a threat to society."

Rodney Palmer is not the only one. An analysis of the public records on the Ontario College of Teachers' website revealed 10 other teachers who've also admitted sexual misconduct -- and still have a license to teach. Those teacher's acts included kissing, sexual touching and even having intercourse with teenage students. Most of them were suspended, then later got their licenses back.

"The College of Teachers basically has failed us," said Black. "Failed the teachers. Failed the students and certainly has failed the victims."

CTV News asked the Registar of the Ontario College of Teachers to explain why any teacher who admits sexual misconduct should be allowed back in the classroom.

"How can anyone be in good standing when they've done this kind of thing?" asked CTV News. "Well, they've followed a process," said Brian McGowan. "There is a range of penalties available for precisely these sorts of issues."

"Why should they ever teach again?" asked Black.

Ontario and British Columbia are the only provinces where teachers are now entirely self-regulating. In all others, the Minister of Education has the final say on whether a teacher keeps their license. In Ontario, CTV News found the 11 teachers -- who've admitted sexual misconduct and still have licenses. B.C. told us there are 13 teachers there, who lost licenses for similar reasons, but only temporarily.

Even in public school, there is no rule in Ontario to stop a teacher disciplined for sexual misconduct from getting back into the classroom -- as long as they have a license. The law does require a criminal record check, but, if there was no conviction -- which is often the case -- the disciplined teacher has no criminal record.

"If these people want to teach again, too bad," said Black. "They have violated that trust."

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