A drama teacher at Toronto's Oakwood Collegiate has been put on home assignment by the public school board pending an investigation that he handed out pages of violent and sexual jokes to students as part of a homework assignment.

The Star says many of the more than 100 jokes cannot be printed and the newspaper is not clear what the assignment was but one grade 12 student is quoted as saying "the assignment was used to reinforce the idea that one-liner jokes need to have shock value."

This student also claims the assignment has been around for years and the administration at Oakwood was well aware of it.

Some of the jokes on the handout referenced dead babies, racism and sexual violence. One parent who spoke to The Star says she read a joke about 'gang banging'.

Apparently, the students were to choose five jokes and perform a comedy skit.

The drama teacher is on home assignment and continues to receive his pay while the TDSB investigates the matter.

(some files by D. Agar)