There is a particular vulnerability in the relationship between a teacher and a student—a trust that is meant to be absolute, a boundary that is meant to be inviolable. When that boundary is crossed, the harm extends far beyond the individual, touching the entire community that placed its faith in the institution.
A former teacher at Methodist Ladies' College in Kew, one of Melbourne's most prestigious girls' schools, has been charged with sexually assaulting a student who was under his care. Kam Kenny-Jones, 32, was arrested on October 2 following a police search of his home in Thornbury .
Victoria Police have charged Kenny-Jones with three counts of sexual assault of a child aged 16 or 17 under care, supervision, or authority. The charges relate to an alleged assault on July 2 in Mont Albert, a suburb roughly a ten-minute drive from the school .
The school's response began in September, when concerns about Kenny-Jones were brought to the college's attention. He was immediately stood down from his duties that day while the matter was investigated and reported to Victoria Police. His employment was subsequently terminated after the college identified breaches of its Staff and Student Professional Boundaries Policy and Child Safe Code of Conduct .
Kenny-Jones had taught geography at MLC since 2021, working with students in Years 7 to 12. According to his LinkedIn profile, he had previously worked as a tennis coach from 2013 to 2018 .
On Monday, as students returned for the first day of term four, principal Julia Shea wrote to families to inform them of the charges. "I understand this news may be very confronting and unsettling for members of our community," she wrote. Shea said she had made the decision not to communicate the information directly to students, believing parents and carers were best placed to decide how to have that conversation with their daughters .
Senior school leaders also personally contacted parents of students who had classroom contact with Kenny-Jones, and support services were made available .
Kenny-Jones has been bailed to appear before Ringwood Magistrates' Court on December 2 .
The case has sent a tremor through a school community that charges annual fees of up to $46,410 and enrolls more than 2,100 students. For the family of the student involved, and for the broader school community, the coming months will bring court proceedings and difficult conversations. The school has said its focus remains on caring for its students and staff, and protecting the privacy and wellbeing of those directly affected .
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Sources: ABC News, Daily Mail, The Nightly, Nine, The Age
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