Retired Midland teacher faces hearing for alleged misconduct

A former Midland high school teacher faces disciplinary charges linked to alleged sexual, verbal and psychological abuse toward students.

According to an Ontario College of Teachers hearing notice, Kevin Mark Morphet is allegedly guilty of professional misconduct for incidents that occurred while he was teaching at Midland Secondary School over the course of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years.

Morphet is slated to appear before the college’s disciplinary committee on Aug. 26 to determine whether the allegations are true and whether he’s guilty of professional misconduct.

According to the allegations contained in the report, Morphet engaged in inappropriate physical contact and/or touching of a sexual nature with one or more students at the school

The incidents include “touching and/or playing with the hair of one or more female students; touching, massaging, and/or caressing the shoulder(s), thigh(s), waist, buttocks, back, and/or knee(s) of one or more female students, including along the bra strap and along and inside the back waistband of leggings” as well as hugging one or more female students, kissing a student on the forehead and holding a student’s hand.

Morphet, who started teaching in 2003 and retired last month, taught photography and coached girls volleyball at the school during the time of the alleged incidents.

It’s also alleged that Morphet made inappropriate comments to one or more students, including but not limited to: “telling one or more female students, 'I love you,' or words to that effect; telling one or more female students that they were beautiful, cute, and/or 'built nicely'."

He also allegedly asked a female student whether she would like him to put a pole in the middle of a table so she could dance for the class and “telling a female student that if she ‘worked the corner’ she could make a lot of money.”

He also apparently told a student her clothes were ‘skanky’ among other allegations contained in the report signed by Chantal Bélisle, deputy registrar at the Ontario College of Teachers.

Morphet received a warning letter from the Simcoe District County School Board in the spring of 2018, advising him that he was expected to have no hands-on or physical contact with any student.

The following June, Morphet received a five-day suspension without pay and was required to undergo professional boundary training.