Ex-teacher gets trial date on sex charges

A judge set a three-day jury trial for an ex-teacher charged with rape and other crimes involving a 14-year-old student.

Second District Judge John Morris scheduled the trial to begin March 8, 2010, in the case of Valynne Bowers, 40, who is facing five counts of rape and three counts of forcible sodomy, all first-degree felonies. If convicted, she could face a sentence of life in prison.

Bowers is a former Bountiful Junior High math teacher whom prosecutors contend engaged in sexual activity with one of her former male students.

Prosecutors and Bowers' defense attorney, Rich Gallegos, have not been able to reach an agreement on a plea bargain largely because Bowers objects to the contention that she was in a position of special trust as a teacher at the school and one of the boy's former instructors.

Gallegos has argued at length that no sexual conduct occurred at the school and when Bowers was off work, she was not in a position of special trust. Gallegos also has said the youth initiated the contact through messages, coming into her classroom and giving her guitar lessons at her home.

However, prosecutors insist that whether Bowers was at home or at school when the alleged crimes occurred makes no difference because the position of trust was already there.

— Linda Thomson