A teacher in one of Simcoe County's Catholic elementary schools is accused of abusing students.
According to two notices of hearing published by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) — the governing body for the profession — Debbie Louise Marie Hadley could be brought before the discipline committee to face allegations of professional misconduct for abusing students verbally, physically and psychologically, as well as improperly releasing information about a student.
Those actions are alleged to have taken place at a Bradford Catholic school at various times over several years, including in March, June and September of 2017, February of 2020 and September 2022, and in the notices the OCT said, if true, the actions would be considered “disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.”
The accusations include yelling at a female student and grabbing and/or pulling her by the wrist on March 24, 2017. Then, despite being told not to interact with said student, on June 14 she allegedly spoke to her in a loud and aggressive manner and blocked the student from leaving the vice-principal’s office, even though the vice-principal had instructed the student to leave.
Hadley is also alleged to have yelled at students and hit a male student on the head twice on Sept. 5, 2017, hitting and/or slapping a different male student on the hand on Sept. 8, and using both hands to hold yet another male student by the head and press him up against a wall sometime in the same month.
Accusations from 2020 include speaking to a student inappropriately, telling them “you’re an idiot,” pushing them and asking them if they wanted to fight on Feb. 11.
After having been sent home pending an investigation into her actions and being advised to not discuss the matter with anyone, on Feb. 12, the teacher allegedly returned to the classroom on one or more occasions, told the class that the student was a liar and the reason for her removal, and also told the class that if the student ever attacked them, they should report it to their parents and the school to have the student removed.
Between Sept. 6 and 28, 2022, Hadley is accused of yelling at students, denying them permission to use the washroom, blowing a loud whistle to get their attention, cancelling gym class and/or recess for students due to incomplete work, hit her hand on the desk near a female student, made students throw away their work and then retrieve it from the garbage, announced to the class which students received poor grades, and told students “if you get this wrong, you should go back to Kindergarten” — all on one or more occasions.
On Sept. 22, the teacher also supposedly hit a male student on the head with papers.
None of the allegations have yet been tested by the discipline committee and hearing dates have not yet been set.
In the meantime, the OCT lists Hadley as being in good standing.
A spokesperson for the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (SMCDSB) confirmed Hadley is a full-time teacher with the board and was working at the same school throughout the time in which all incidents were alleged to have happened, but declined to say which one.
“Ms. Hadley is entitled to due process through the college of teachers,” Tammy Martin, executive human resources officer for the SMCDSB, said via email. “We will fully support its investigation and outcomes.”
The spokesperson explained the board became aware of the accusations after parents brought them to the school. After that, the board initiated an investigation, placed Hadley on an administrative leave of absence and filed a report with the OCT.
The spokesperson said Hadley has remained on leave after being removed from the classroom following the incidents in 2022, and is not expected to return to work until after OCT’s investigation is complete.
“We take our responsibility of providing safe, nurturing and respectful environments seriously,” Martin said, emphasizing that the board’s schools are based in Catholic values and social teachings.
“We should model respect, trust and empathy every day in our interactions — when this doesn’t happen, we have a responsibility to respond,” she said.
Both Hadley and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association declined to comment.
