JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A former Duval County Public Schools JROTC instructor has been charged with child abuse after police said he was caught on camera treating a Sandalwood High student like a dog, including using a belt as a “leash” and telling her to do tricks.
Cail Morris Jr., 58, was booked into the Duval County jail on May 13 on a third-degree felony child abuse charge.
According to an affidavit for an arrest warrant included in Morris’ booking report, a School Safety Officer (SSO) reported possible misconduct after being shown a video that was recorded in Sandalwood High School’s JROTC area.
The SSO described the video in an information report, saying it showed Morris placing a looped belt around a student’s neck “like a collar/leash,” calling the student “a dog,” and directing another student to give her “dog commands.”
The SSO said the student could be seen sitting on her knees with the belt around her neck, while Morris says that the situation will “end when she does three tricks.”
The SSO said the student appeared upset and was crying in the video.
At one point, according to the SSO, the video shows the student taking the belt off her neck, and Morris telling her to put it back on.
When she protests because “it doesn’t fit,” Morris enters the video frame, puts it back on her himself and gives her two more commands. Then the video ends.
The arrest affidavit also summarizes interviews with additional students and a witness who provided similar descriptions of the incident, including the allegation that the belt was placed around the student’s neck and she was told to do tricks “like a dog.”
The entire incident began, according to the student, because she and the other student involved could not remember the JROTC ranks and positions.
She said Morris, who is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, told them, “they are dogs in the doghouse,” and then put the belt around her neck, which was followed by the incident that was captured on video.
One of the witnesses said she confronted Morris afterward, saying that what he did was wrong, but that he laughed it off and called it a joke.
Because of the allegations, the Department of Children and Families was contacted and began an investigation.
According to the arrest affidavit, another student later came forward and recounted a similar event on March 11 in which they said Morris took his hat off, tossed it on the ground and told the student to “fetch it.”
The student said that when he went to pick up the hat with his hands, Morris said, “No, pick it up like a dog.” The student said he assumed that meant Morris wanted him to pick it up with his mouth, but the student instead left the room, feeling embarrassed.
Another student who said she witnessed the March 11 incident gave a similar account, the report said.
What Morris told investigators
According to the affidavit, Morris said he worked for the school system as a “Senior Military Instructor” for over two years before the incident. He resigned after the investigation began but before his arrest.
The report said Morris described the incident as a form of “coaching” and said no profanity was used and there was no intent to harm. The affidavit says Morris acknowledged using his belt around the student’s neck and telling her to “get on all fours and do three dog tricks.”
He said he told the students, victims and witnesses, “they have to have a dog mentality,” and explained that the techniques he used were not a form of punishment and that the intent was not “dehumanizing the students.”
He said that after learning of the complaint, he apologized to the student, telling her his No. 1 priority “was to protect you and there was no intent to harm.”
The affidavit also states Morris admitted the tactics had been used in the past with other student cadets.
A judge signed the warrant on May 8, and Morris turned himself in on May 13.
Records show bond was set at $5,003.