YippySkippy wrote:
Statutory rape is statutory rape, and women who commit it shouldn't be treated any differently than men. Whether the boy was psychologically damaged is irrelevent - the teacher was an adult in a position of authority and he was a minor.
If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. I don't feel sorry for a grown-@ss woman who can't control herself.
I do. The only crime she committed was allowing herself to be manipulated by a teenager.
It happens to parents of teenagers all the time. Watch an episode or two of Dr. Phil and you'll see exactly what I mean.
I question the maturity of an inexperienced teacher. My first job I was fresh out of college with a master's degree (not in education, but in a relevant field of study. I got my teaching creds as an undergrad). The only job I could get was basically a ghetto middle school job. Yes, I made probably more than my fair share of mistakes because of my inexperience and unsuitability (at the time) for the job. The kids handed me my @$$ on a daily basis and administration was no help at all.
Now, if that's me teaching grades 5-8, I don't even want to think about what it's like being a FEMALE teacher the same age I was then trying to teach high school jr./sr. classes and the only guy in town who shows interest in my is some kid football player who relentlessly flirts with me every single day.
I understand the nature of statutory rape laws, but there has to be some accountability on the part of the students. Trying to flirt with a teacher is seriously inappropriate behavior for a student, and because of the damage it can do to a teacher's career, there should be severe penalties imposed on kids who attempt it. It should be documented just like all discipline referrals, and a teacher ought to be able to sue students who try it for harassment. I don't see anything being done to protect the teachers from the students.
Of course, if the teacher doesn't take steps to stop the behavior, then sure, it's the teacher's fault. I don't mean to sound like I approve the behavior, because I don't. But pretending the students who perpetrate these hideous schemes are perfect little angels is offensive to me.