Support Offered In Wake Of Columbia High School Teacher's Arrest

MAPLEWOOD, NJ - Counseling and support is being offered to Columbia High School students and staff after the arrest of a 55-year-old astronomy and physics teacher on child pornography possession charges.

Michael A. Morrill, 55, has been charged with third-degree possession of child pornography for being in possession of digital files depicting the sexual exploitation of children, according to acting Union County Prosecutor Jennifer Davenport.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Gayle Carrick sent out a letter to the community Friday:

"We know that many of you are aware that a member of the Columbia High School staff has been charged with having inappropriate material on his home digital devices. The South Orange Maplewood School District was notified about this on June 13th. The Union County Prosecutor's Office, as of June 14, 2019, has informed us that the investigation has found this employee’s conduct did not involve Columbia High School or Columbia High School students.

As we continue to keep the well-being of our students and community in the forefront of our concerns, we wanted to share with you what we are doing at CHS to support our students and staff, and to offer you some resources.

What we are doing at CHS:

• We held an early morning faculty meeting to provide staff members with guidance on how to speak with and support students throughout the day.
• Administrators and a social worker met with this staff member's classes before their scheduled exams.
• Students in classes scheduled to take final exams today were offered the opportunity to reschedule their exam for next week. We made counseling services available for all students and staff members.
• We are providing ongoing access to school supports – including the CHS administrative team, guidance counselors, student assistance counselors, school social workers, and teachers.
• We are addressing individual concerns as they arise.
• We have prepared some talking points for discussing this with your children, if you decide that this is appropriate for your family.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership."

An investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) subdivision of the Prosecutor's Office's Cyber Crime Task Force initiated earlier this year resulted in Morrill being identified as a suspect, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Derek Nececkas, who is prosecuting the case.

Last week, Prosecutor's Office Detectives executing a search warrant at Morrill's home on the 1800 block of Manor Drive in Union Township recovered the digital files on a laptop there, Nececkas said.

Also seized during the execution of the search warrant were two dozen other electronic devices, including a tablet, desktop computers, laptops, and removable hard drives and other storage devices, all of which will be forensically examined as part of the continuing investigation, authorities said.

Anyone with information about Morrill's activities is being urged to contact the Cyber Crime Task Force at 908-527-4500.

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