College student wins case after being expelled for comments about antidepressants

Beatrijs Penn, a student at St. Stephen’s College at the University of Alberta, won a legal battle against the college after being expelled for unconventional advice about antidepressants. The Alberta Court of Appeal found that the college treated her unfairly by not allowing her to adequately review a video clip of a client session that was the primary reason for her termination. Penn, who had worked as a registered psychotherapist in the Netherlands for over 30 years before moving to Canada, suggested during the session that antidepressants caused brain damage and dementia and shared her personal views on pharmaceuticals.

Penn’s expulsion stemmed from a 20-minute video clip of a client session where she expressed her opinions on mental health medication and shared recommendations from other patients. Despite not explicitly telling the client to avoid medication, Penn’s views were deemed controversial by the college. After going through multiple internal appeals and judicial reviews, Penn’s case made its way to the Alberta Court of Appeal, where she ultimately succeeded due to the college’s mishandling of the video evidence. The court faulted the college for not finding a way to address privacy concerns and allow Penn to view the video, which was essential to her defense.

The Court of Appeal declined to order a new hearing as Penn no longer wishes to return to the college. However, it suggested that St. Stephen’s College apologize to Penn, although it could not mandate that. Penn also won the right to submit an affidavit from the client involved in the session, who stated that she never felt pressured by Penn regarding antidepressants. The court will determine the legal costs owed to Penn by the college in a later hearing. St. Stephen’s College, originally founded to train ministers, is now a multi-faith institution that educates individuals for professional caregiving and ministry roles.

In addition to her legal battle with St. Stephen’s College, Penn was also a victim of fraud in a separate case involving Ross Vincent Bayne and Mary Cooney. The two were convicted of defrauding Penn of nearly $350,000 under the pretense of loans for humanitarian projects. They are scheduled to be sentenced on May 9. Despite the challenges she faced, Penn’s victory in the court case highlights the importance of procedural fairness and the need for institutions to handle disciplinary matters transparently and equitably.