Elite Melbourne School Teacher Sacked Amid Child Sex Assault Charges

Methodist Ladies' College, an elite private girls' school in Melbourne, has terminated the employment of geography teacher Kam Kenny-Jones following allegations of child sex assault. The school reported the concerns to police in September and subsequently dismissed Kenny-Jones after an internal investigation found breaches of its staff and student professional boundaries policy and child safe code of conduct.

Kenny-Jones, 32, was arrested on Friday and charged with three counts of sexual assault of a child aged 16 or 17 under his care, supervision, or authority. Police allege the offenses occurred in Mont Albert. He appeared in court and was granted bail, with a return court date set for December 2.

College principal Julia Shea informed parents of the development on Monday, the first day of term four. She stated that the news might be "very confronting and unsettling" for the community and emphasized that the school's primary focus is on caring for students and staff, ensuring support is available, and protecting the privacy and well-being of those potentially affected.

Shea explained in a letter to parents that the college could not initially disclose the circumstances of Kenny-Jones's departure due to the ongoing investigation. Given the nature of the charges, she decided against informing students directly, believing parents are best positioned to discuss the matter with their daughters.

Kenny-Jones had been employed at Methodist Ladies' College since 2021, having previously taught at two other Melbourne high schools. The school, which educates over 2,100 girls from kindergarten to year 12, has fees ranging from $25,740 to $44,904 annually.

The school's wellbeing teams have been briefed and are prepared to support any students who require assistance processing the news. The principal also provided guidance for parents on how to approach conversations with their children, advising simplicity and age-appropriateness, and reminding them that they do not need to have all the answers.