Teachers & Children having sex

[IDrinkaRum]

Latest article on a teacher/student romance. This time, they went to Mexico to escape police scrutiny.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071103/...student_search

And my husband wonders why I want to home school our daughter.

[Greenday]

About a year ago, a math teacher at my high school was arrested for having sexual relations with a female student. Apparently, this started when she was 13 and he was teaching at the middle school. The guy has a wife and two kids. It's a shame to because he was a great teacher. He plead guilty so it still leaves some doubt in my mind because pleading guilty lowered the charges brought against him. I never would have expected that to happen with him.

[IDrinkaRum]

I think it was last month that there were articles about how many teacher with students sex acts are going unreported/under-reported/swept-under-the-carpet.

Also, the teachers (usually male) are just moved from one school district to another with no one the wiser.

Maybe I'm an over-worrying Mother, but my daughter is learning disabled (Autistic) and so trusting. I have nightmares about it.

[Boozy]

Maybe I'm an over-worrying Mother, but my daughter is learning disabled (Autistic) and so trusting. I have nightmares about it.

Here's my two cents. Take it, leave it, tell me to shut up and mind my own business if you'd like. I'm just putting it out there:

I do think you are overreacting a bit. Statistically, your daughter has a far greater chance of getting into an accident on the school bus or playground than getting molested by a teacher. Yet every day, millions of parents put their children on the bus and send them out for recess.

The media jumps on stories of perverted teachers like a pack of rabid dogs on a piece of steak. I believe that you have a distorted view of how common this really is.

With that said, I don't wish to downplay the tragic emotional effects something like this can have on the victims. And I also agree that your daughter's disability could possibly make her a more appealing target.

Something else to think about: Are your nightmares about this perhaps a symptom of a more real concern about your daughter's education experience? Autistic kids don't always get the support they need to learn, and they are often ostracized by other kids. Perhaps there is a very logical reason to homeschool and your subconscious has just decided to focus on this.

[IDrinkaRum]

Boozy ... I know I'm over-reacting. That's just me. I've over protective of my daughter because of her condition, and that she's my daughter. <--that's for me, not you!

I'm worried she's not ready to be mainstreamed. There's a public school for disabled children, but I'm not sure if she qualifies for it or if she's going to be put in kindergarten at the regular school.

I did read an article about service dogs for autistic children. I'm the only one in the family that wants to do this for her.

As for the Original Post, I've heard of teachers abusing students in the school I attended since I was in 6th grade. So for me, it's pretty common. And comes to no surprise. Plus, there's been plenty of incidences where the bus helper on special needs buses is male, and the male helper sexually abuses at least one of the disabled students. Maybe I should move out of the area. (Hopefully when the gov't builds the new work building, we'll be in Maryland and no longer in Northern VA).

[Greenday]

Also, the teachers (usually male) are just moved from one school district to another with no one the wiser.

They usually lose their teaching license and at that point, it's pretty damn hard to get one back. The main problem is it usually goes on unreported.

Honestly, I think the age of the student kinda matters too. I mean, when I was 17, there were teachers I would have hooked up with. But because I was 17, and not 18, it'd be sooooo terrible since I would have been a minor. I guess that goes more towards my attitude of age of consent in this country.

[IDrinkaRum]

That's true Greenday. What's the diff between 17 and 18?

However, I've noticed the children who "hook up" with their teachers are like 10, 11, 12, and 13 years old. They're definitely not old enough to consent to something that will change their lives forever. (Especially if they get their teacher pregnant).

I really wish there was a registry of teachers who have either had their license suspended or have been accused (but never charged) of sexual abuse that school systems can use while trying to hire people. But the teachers themselves would say that's against the law.

I just wish school systems took this abuse seriously.

[Seshat]

18 is the legal age at which a person is adult, in some parts of the world.

I blame the teacher in these situations (in child education). The teacher is the adult, and is responsible for not letting the relationship develop in that way until two things have occurred; the child has grown and matured enough to fully understand, and the relationship between the two is no longer one with the teacher/student power differential.

The situation is different in adult education, however.

[AFPheonix]

I can't imagine willingly wanting to hang out with a 13 year old boy, much less have sex with one....

[IDrinkaRum]

The teachers *are* adult. They should know better.

What I don't get is:

1. The media seems to celebrate the "love" between the teacher & student.

2. The parents aren't more up in arms about this, demanding the school system do something, anything.

3. Actually holding the teachers responsible for their actions. Taking away their livelyhood - making it darn near impossible for them to teach anywhere, anytime, anyplace.

[linguist]

I really wish there was a registry of teachers who have either had their license suspended or have been accused (but never charged) of sexual abuse that school systems can use while trying to hire people. But the teachers themselves would say that's against the law.

so you'd be in favor of registering someone who was accused, regardless of whether or not there was proof of an actual crime?
that just seems like a system ripe for abuse by angry students and/or parents.

[rahmota]

Well I'm against any relations with minors like that. Being in a position of responsibility just makes thigns worse.

Though Drinkrum said

or have been accused (but never charged)

Umm I have to disagree with you on that one as that goes against the entire concept of innocent until proven guilty and like was said by linguist is a setup for abuse by disgruntled parents or peopel in general. Anytime you make a registry of people based on suspicion or accusation and not if they where convicted then you open a door to nothign but trouble and danger.

[IDrinkaRum]

Nonono, that's not what I mean. There are those teachers, who have been accused, the school systems have all the evidence, but they're not charged or the school doesn't do anything but let them go to another school system. Does that make sense? If not, I'll drop that from my original statement.

[Boozy]

Does that make sense? If not, I'll drop that from my original statement.

I think I understand you: You mean to say is that if there is ample evidence for charges to be brought, then they should do so instead of foisting the problem onto another school. Right?

I think we can all agree that simply being accused is not enough evidence to get fired or publicly vilified.

[Greenday]

And it all depends on the kind of evidence being presented too. A girl could say that she had sexual relations with a teacher. Her friends could say it was happening. Some people would call that overwhelming evidence as that is a lot of people saying it is happening. But until one piece of actual PHYSICAL evidence is brought around, I won't believe a damn thing. If alls it took to convict someone because a bunch of people say it was happening, even if they've never seen such an act occur, I'd bet most cases would be from people trying to just make cash instead of actually students who really had sexual relations with a teacher.