Former St. Michael Catholic Secondary School religion teacher Kennedy Hall has been suspended by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) for expressing concerns about feminism and promoting masculine behaviour. .“He acknowledged and the Panel accepts that the Admitted Facts constitute professional misconduct under the heads of misconduct set out above,” said the Discipline Committee of the OCT in a ruling. .“The Admitted Facts demonstrate that the Member engaged in a pattern of communicating his beliefs about gender roles and identities in an intolerant and discriminatory manner against those who do not conform with his beliefs.”.The ruling said Hall was guilty of professional misconduct because he abused students emotionally; failed to comply with the Ontario College of Teachers Act; failed to comply with the Education Act; committed acts which would be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable, and unprofessional; and engaged in conduct unbecoming of a member. .Hall gave a speech at the graduation retreat for Grade 12 students during the 2017-2018 school year where he talked about the importance of traditional gender roles and for boys to embrace their masculinity. He expressed concerns masculinity was being taken out of boys by doing feminine activities such as making bracelets and sitting quietly. .He argued men should work in gender appropriate occupations. One male student said he felt upset and invalidated by the comments, as he was training to become a dancer. .Hall encouraged the female students to pray a virtuous, righteous man would come along to make them happy. Some female students who heard this message said they felt degraded and insulted for being told a strong marriage was more important than their career aspirations. .Hall wrote a book called Terror of Demons — Reclaiming Traditional Catholic Masculinity, which he cited and promoted through various social media platforms. Terror of Demons states effeminity in men, defined as a reluctance to suffer due to an attachment to pleasure, should be eliminated. .The book said men should wear suits and women should wear dresses. It said masculine and feminine shapes are exclusive to their genders and are perfection. .He posted a video to Twitter where he was speaking about creation and said “no matter how you slice it, women are made to please.” Viewers of his video said they were disturbed at how statements such as this could fuel rape culture. .Hall wrote an op-ed for the Fatima Center in 2019 where he advocated for “the Biblical wisdom of the headship of man in his home, and the submission of woman to her husband.”.“Once again, our world may reject this as it has been infected by the festering disease of feminism, but it is nonetheless the right order by which God Himself ordained things,” he said. .The ruling said the Huron Perth Catholic District School Board (HPCDSB) was inundated with complaints about his social media posts from students, parents, and alumni. It said they expressed concerns he was creating an unsafe, uncomfortable learning environment. .He tendered his resignation from the HPCDSB in February. He resigned his teaching licence in October. .The ruling went on to say Hall showed a profound lack of moral and professional judgment. It added such intolerance, which creates an unsafe, uncomfortable learning environment for students from diverse backgrounds and beliefs, has no place in Ontario’s school system..Community members expressed outrage and disappointment at the views being expressed by him and how he was allowed to teach students. Given he identified himself as a Catholic teacher in his posts, the ruling said he eroded the reputation of the profession and undermined the public’s confidence and trust in teachers. .The punishments he received were to appear before the Discipline Committee of the OCT to receive a reprimand and a three-month suspension of his teaching licence. .“The Panel is satisfied that the penalty is appropriate in the circumstances and meets the principle of serving and protecting the public interest,” said the committee. .This ordeal comes after the OCT refused to take action after Oakville Trafalgar High School, located in the Halton District School Board (HDSB), stood by a biological male teacher who wore large prosthetic breasts under revealing clothing in September. .READ MORE: Keeping abreast of Ontario teacher's transitioning from male to female.The manufacturing technology teacher began identifying as a woman in 2021 and now goes by the alias Kayla Lemieux. .HDSB Chair Margo Shuttleworth said the district will protect the gender rights of employees, adding it is "the stance the school board is taking and they are standing behind the teacher."
