Longtime Educator Faces License Revocation
A longtime teacher and coach in Burlington County, New Jersey, has been stripped of his teaching license after sending inappropriate and unwanted text messages to former students. The decision, made by the State Board of Examiners, follows multiple incidents in which the teacher, Ray Morison, engaged in unprofessional communication with young women he had previously coached and taught.
Morison, a gym teacher at Willingboro Memorial Middle School, had been teaching for over 20 years. However, his career took a downward spiral after multiple former students reported him for inappropriate messages. In 2016, a former softball player he coached received an explicit text from him, which she reported to school authorities. Again, in 2020, another former student, whom he had taught and coached in soccer, also received messages that were deemed inappropriate and unprofessional. One of these messages reportedly included Morison stating, “Down the shore laying here!”
Following these incidents, an arbitrator reviewing his case in 2021 stated that Morison appeared to lack awareness of the inappropriateness of his behavior. She further emphasized that his conduct as a middle-aged white man reaching out to young Black women he previously taught was “insensitive” and “oblivious.”
Formal Revocation of Teaching License
The Willingboro School District, along with the State Board of Examiners, engaged in a prolonged back-and-forth regarding Morison’s fitness to teach. In December 2024, the board reached a final decision to revoke his standard teaching certificate and student personnel services certificate. By January 16, 2025, the decision had been formally adopted, making it official that Morison was no longer authorized to teach in New Jersey. He has been given 30 days from the mailing of the decision to surrender his teaching certificates to the state.
Despite arguments in his defense that he had a long-standing, effective career and was an active coach and volunteer, the board found that his actions crossed the boundary between professional mentorship and inappropriate conduct. The board concluded that using a former teacher-student or coach-player relationship as a foundation for personal relationships was highly inappropriate and demonstrated poor judgment. The ruling emphasized that such behavior had the potential to be perceived as predatory.
Impact on Education and Professional Conduct
Public records indicate that in 2023, Morison earned a salary of $73,492 while working at Willingboro Memorial Middle School. His dismissal has sparked discussions about the importance of maintaining professional boundaries between educators and students, even after students have graduated. The case serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities teachers hold and the ethical expectations they must uphold.
The revocation of Morison’s teaching license sends a strong message about the zero-tolerance policy regarding inappropriate teacher-student interactions, even if the students are no longer enrolled in the school. Educational institutions across New Jersey and beyond are likely to reinforce training and policies surrounding professional conduct to ensure a safe and supportive environment for students.
The case of Ray Morison highlights the critical need for ethical standards in education and the consequences of violating professional boundaries. It underscores the responsibility educators bear in fostering safe and appropriate relationships with students while maintaining the highest standards of integrity in their roles.
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