The OPP says it could have been tragic.

A Toronto teacher has been caught speeding on the 401 near Windsor, going 146 km/h. The worst part is he was transporting a dozen students.

OPP say that Father Henry Carr basketball coach Paul Melnik was taking the players to a provincial championship in Windsor.

The teacher was also driving without the proper F license. He received a ticket for speeding and driving without the proper license.

"There's no doubt, this is reckless behaviour," says Brian Patterson with the Ontario Safety League. "None of the students on that bus had any option to decide to take the risk that this teacher put them in."

Patterson says to save money by not hiring a professional driver and bus, "You would think at least, when you're driving other people's kids, you would be following the letter of the law."

He says he thinks the teacher should have been charged with careless driving.

Friends of the coach, meanwhile, are showing their support.

"I'm not defending his actions and I'm not defending the fact that he shouldn't be punished," says Darryl, who says he knows Melnik. "But I am going to say that this guy has given hundreds of hours towards working with kids, helping kids and coaching kids."

"Firing him would be a great disservice to the community," Darryl says.

The TCDSB says it is investigating the incident. The board says the teacher has been instructed not to drive students to any more games.