By Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Barbara Joan Baxter, a former elementary school teacher who worked in the Burlington area from the 1960s to the 1980s, has been convicted of multiple sex crimes against her former students. On February 25, 2025, Baxter, now in her late 80s, was found guilty of sexual assault and additional sexual offences related to her time teaching at Pineland Public School in Burlington during the 1980s. The conviction stems from charges initially laid in 2023 after several former students came forward with allegations of sexual abuse.
One of those students, identified only as S.M. due to a publication ban, has now launched a civil lawsuit against both Baxter and the Halton District School Board. S.M., who was a grade 8 student in Baxter’s class in the 1982–1983 school year, endured repeated abuse during that time. The lawsuit alleges that when S.M. reported the abuse to school authorities, not only was his complaint ignored, but he was suspended from school for a week — accused of harassing Baxter, the very teacher he sought protection from.
The trauma S.M. experienced as a result of the abuse had devastating long-term effects. He dropped out of school in grade 9 and struggled with mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. His personal relationships suffered, and he battled substance abuse for years. Through the civil suit, S.M. hopes to hold the Halton District School Board accountable for failing to act on his initial report and for allowing Baxter to continue teaching, despite what the lawsuit alleges were clear warning signs.
Baxter’s career in education began after she completed teacher’s college in 1958. Prior to joining the Halton District School Board, she worked for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. Investigators believe there may be additional victims from both school boards who have not yet come forward. S.M. and his legal team are actively encouraging anyone who witnessed, suspected, or experienced abuse at the hands of Baxter to come forward and contact his lawyer, Aaron Lealess, to assist with the ongoing investigation.
The civil lawsuit seeks significant damages, including $500,000 for pain and suffering, an estimated $2.5 million for past and future pecuniary damages, and $250,000 in special damages. The claim also includes requests for aggravated and punitive damages, citing not only the abuse itself but the systemic failure by the school board to protect students.
S.M. hopes that sharing his story will encourage others to speak out, particularly those who may have been silenced decades ago or felt too ashamed to come forward. Through this process, he wants parents to remain vigilant, urging them to trust children when they disclose uncomfortable experiences with teachers or authority figures. His message to the community is clear: if you saw something, suspected something, or experienced abuse by Baxter, now is the time to break the silence.
Baxter’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 20, 2025, in Milton court, where victim impact statements and sentencing submissions will be presented. As of now, Baxter has not made any public statements and her legal representation in the civil matter has not yet been confirmed. The Halton District School Board has also not issued a response to the civil claim, which was recently served.
The civil case will examine not only Baxter’s actions but also the conduct of the Halton District School Board in its handling — or mishandling — of the initial report by S.M., and whether other red flags were ignored during her teaching career. For now, S.M. awaits justice, both through the courts and the broader accountability he seeks from the institutions that were supposed to keep him safe.
