Students Recall Bizarre Conduct At Teacher’s Disciplinary Hearing

If even some of what his accusers say is true, William Fabel was allegedly a monster in his classroom.

The teacher faced a disciplinary hearing before the Ontario College of Teachers Wednesday, after dozens of students came forward with startling and jaw dropping accusations leveled at his behaviour in school.

Fabel taught at St. Anne Catholic High School in Tecumseh, Ont., near Windsor between 1997 and 2002.

In those five years, students contend they had to put up with him making racist comments against various ethnic groups, using inappropriate sexual references and even insulting a child suffering from muscular dystrophy.

Danielle Campo broke down in tears at the hearing, as she recalled how Fabel called her a ‘gimp’ and ‘chicken legs’ because of her disability and made her self-conscious about her condition. 

“Mr. Fabel once referred to me as `gimpy’ in the classroom,” the girl, who has won several swimming medals at the Paralympic Games, told the panel at the Ontario College of Teachers. “It stuck as a nickname for a while.”

The now 21-year-old remembers how her history teacher allegedly described the melting flesh of 911 victims in New York.

“I remember feeling sick to my stomach,” the former student complains. She claims she was frightened of the instructor and never knew what he would do next. 

“It was important for me to come and testify because for me this was a very big step in healing. I needed to get this out and it was important for people to understand what had went on in the classroom.”

“I’m relieved that this is over. It’s been a long time.”

Fabel has denied all the allegations.

If he’s found guilty, he could lose his teacher’s licence.

In the meantime, he has taken a job as a recruiter for the Canadian military.

Among the allegations leveled against Fabel in the complaint filed with the College:

-He told students he was a ‘leg man’ and liked ‘girls in kilts’.

-He told his students he had a hidden camera under all the girls’ desks so he could look up their kilts.

-He told female students who chewed on their pencils that they were sexually frustrated and that those who suck Popsicles are suffering from penis envy.

-Told kids about his ‘boring’ bedroom experiences with his wife and regaled them with stories of how he cheated on her.

-Asked male students ‘how many of you guys would sleep with these two girls for a million dollars?’

-Would read pick up lines and provide males advice on ‘how to get into a girl’s pants’.

-Asked a shy male student if he was ‘going to be a serial killer’, while telling a girl ‘you are going to be an axe murderer’ – and suggesting where she could buy the axe.

-Called his principal “Big Bird” and his three vice-principals “The Three Stooges”.

-Told a student to picture the female principal naked if ‘you want to laugh’.

-Asked girls if they could picture a male teacher in a thong.

-Suggested two female teachers were strippers and suggested his male students go downtown to watch them work.

-Told students he didn’t believe in God.

-Told students there was no room in the world for gays or lesbians.

-Threatened students and faculty and often talked about his military experience and his knowledge of guns.

-Asked a mother at the start of a parent-teacher conference whether she wanted to talk about “Dumb” or “Dumber”.

-Told students if they told anyone about his classroom actions he’d “make sure you burn in hell’.

-Forced kids to re-create the Columbine massacre by acting as one of the gunmen and having the kids hide in fear under their desks.

-Told a student after a parent-teacher meeting that the person’s mother was “M.I.L.F.”, which translated to a “Mother I’d like to f***.”