Deseret News | Teacher sex case may go to trial

Reader comments
Teacher sex case may go to trial

Anonymous | 1:08 p.m. June 29, 2009

Both teachers should lose their teaching certificates for life for all states. Also a year in jail with probation after 6 months is OK.

manipulating teachers | 1:21 p.m. June 29, 2009

What these teachers did is deplorable. BUT when One student has sex with multiple teachers, it makes one wonder who the real victim(s) is (are?).

Anonymous | 1:40 p.m. June 29, 2009

Both Teachers should be responsible for sexually assaulting a young man. The difference in age and their proposition of trust are damming factors that are very important to take into consideration. Why is this such a difficult thing to understand? Teachers know they are in a Special Position of Trust very well. Shame on them and they should accept that they are now responsible to pay the price of their assault.

Comments continue below

Interesting verbal exercises | 1:50 p.m. June 29, 2009

How we have twisted the language and meaning, all in my lifetime.

This boy goes around and somehow gets teachers to have sex with him and he is referred to as a victim.

A closer reality | 2:00 p.m. June 29, 2009

Boys junior high age have been sentenced to life with no parole for murder. I don't agree with this, the age is too tender, but neither do I believe they should get off free.

Similary to flat out call this boy a victim is not reflective of reality. He is the one who initiated the relationships. He is not a robot, he has understanding and free will.

More importantly, he is happy about what happened and does not consider himself a victim.

Solymnar | 2:10 p.m. June 29, 2009

This is a teenage boy. Hormone loaded and foaming at the mouth. It always floors me how people treat boys as scarred for life when the majority of them fantasize about sexual encounters regularly and often and many try to get it wherever and however they can. American Pie was funny because people identify with it.

In an ideal world all our young boys and girls are perfect angels and wait until they are married. This isn't that world and while it doesn't excuse the 2 adults that should have known better, the sentances and over the top judgements that some people make to me personally are rediculous and often asserted by parents that want everything but themselves to take responsibility of watching out for and parenting their own children.

Its the school's fault, its their friends fault, its their friend's parent's fault, its the TV's fault, its video game's fault....

How about parents worry about spending time with their own kids instead of blaming the rest of the world?

Bah I'm off topic now. Its a lapse in judgement made by two people, no one died, people should sort priorities.

Anonymous | 2:27 p.m. June 29, 2009

The teachers should have had the back bone to say "NO". The parents of the boy should have been called to let them know of his actions.
Shame on the teachers for allowing themselves to be "seduced". Shame on the boy for "seducing" them. Shame on the boys parents for not making the boy responsible for his actions. Shame on the system for not seeing this for what it really is.

Emjay | 2:41 p.m. June 29, 2009

What these women did was completely wrong. They are adults and should have known better. However, the "kid" is clearly the instigator. It's really hard to see him as a true victim. I think the women should get probation, counseling and community service. I hope they don't go to prison. I don't think they deserve that.

The problem with the world today is we see every case as equivalent. They aren't. I don't believe these women are pedophiles. The kid is clearly very troubled and these women were REALLY stupid.

And to those of you to start to scream "if a man did it he would go to prison"...I'm sorry, I just don't see it as being the same. The kid has a great deal of responsibility in this situation. Unfortunately for these women, he will skate while they will pay.

Wow, I can't believe how many stupid women there are in the world today. Being lonely has become a license for stupidity.

KLD | 2:47 p.m. June 29, 2009

Sorry, but some of you don't appear to understand how serious this is. Of course teenagers have sex with each other. But don't equate that with a teenager having sex with an adult, especially an adult in a position of trust like a teacher. The adults should not be exonerated merely because of what you think you know about the boy, based upon what you've read on the internet or seen on the news. I'm doubtful any of you know the facts with regards to him. It's an unfortunately reality that in sexual assault (on both genders) we often shift blame or accountability from where it should be to the behavior of the victim. And yes, when a minor is involved, there is a victim. And not just the boy involved. No one should consider this a victimless crime, as besides the long term impact on the boy, it also affects the trust others will want to give our teachers.

Re: manipulating teachers | 3:22 p.m. June 29, 2009

The teachers, as you are insinuating, are MOST DEFINITELY NOT the victims.

But, I'm not sold on the boy being a victime either. Had those teachers forced themselves on the boy, or had they coerced him in any way, THEN we can call the boy a victim. But, he acted on his own accord.

These educators have lost their teaching licenses. They've been subjected to public scorn, and will likewise forevermore. At least one marriage had ended. Legal fees will have left them superlatively out-of-pocket. And they've brought that down onto themselves. I don't see lengthy prison sentences as necessary. If these women never see the inside of a prison cell, we still cannot suggest they got away anything.

Give 'em some ankle bracelets and save the taxpayers money for REAL menaces to society

Gender Equity | 3:31 p.m. June 29, 2009

How would this have played out if the genders were reversed? Would a man pay a higher price for this crime?

WinSum | 3:48 p.m. June 29, 2009

Sad state of affairs. We push the liberal-freedom of expression onto society via TV, Porn, suggestive movies, "immorality as a sport" and so on.....then we stand aghast at the results on our children, schools, family disintegration, homosexuality-as-"normal" and ok.!! What's wrong with this picture???

As ye sow, so shall ye....reap?

South Ogden | 3:59 p.m. June 29, 2009

So are you saying that she is off duty when she leaves the school? Where did she come in contact with him before they started to have sex was it at school. Those teachers that I know say they are teachers 24 7 just like a police officer. I can not wait to see how the ruling is on this case. I guess she should have said JUST NO. Something is wrong here who was the adult in this case. So was it rape and then he did it? This teacher must be held accoutable. Copes are if on or off duty.

geeeez | 5:30 p.m. June 29, 2009

BEWARE OF THE WARE WATCH YOUR BACK come on these ladies had a total lack of self-esteem as well as the kid in question. they had no game what so ever now want to act all that with what they were told while going to school to get those degrees...about being alone with the opposite sex...avoiding liable situations no matter what ..don't try to play some game while risking losing your licenses..by the way that is why they have those things because everything is to be taken seriously.

Ken Goddard | 7:28 p.m. June 29, 2009

Where were these kinds of teachers when I was going to school way back when. I could have gotten a much better edgecation. Plus, I could have been a lot more discreet rather than putting up with the scorn of blabbermouths my own age.

No Victims needed | 10:11 a.m. June 30, 2009

If there are no 'victims' in these sex cases then where is the crime? Even if the boy or girl is younger than the 13 that the actions started, they can have sex and even be the ones who ask for it. While not being 'victims' in these cases a crime still has been committed and must be dealt with.

Stuatory rape is engaging in consentual sex with someone not of the legal age to be able to agree to doing so. Sure both may consent. Only the adult has the right. The child cannot 'legally' consent so having sex with them should ALWAYS result in an arrest and prosectution when the age difference is greater than five years.

If I am wrong in my assesment perhaps we should change the law. If we lower the age of consent (the legal age one can consent to engage in consent) which is what many of the posters seem to be agreeing upon by the mere mention of "No VICTIMS" what would be the results. I am more in favor of raising the age of consent to 21 for sleeping with other adults.

re No Victims needed | 10:11 a. | 10:27 a.m. June 30, 2009

I agree, raise the age of concent to 21, .. better yet, why not 28?

New Age! | 10:47 a.m. June 30, 2009

Have any of you watched 13, 14 and 15 year olds these days? They are not the same as we were 20 years ago. They ARE more mature and know EXACTLY what they want. Just sit in your neighborhhod park and watch them engage in all sorts of divious behavior. We taught these kids to be "adults" by not raising them, but have them raised by TV and video games and then we are shocked and outraged, that they don't see anything wrong with wanting to sleep with a woman, instead of someone their age. Society has made it hard to establish what a 13, 14 or 15 year old should look like. Just flip through a teen magazine and see if you can guess the age of half of the celebrities in there. Teens these days look and act alot older and I am sure there are a lot of us, who couldn't resist. The "boy" didn't look like he was in shock or permanently damaged for life. I am sure he bragged about sleeping with this woman to his friends and none of them saw anything wrong with that.

Rube | 11:46 a.m. June 30, 2009

I know - I am as deep as a grocery store puddle. But look at the two teachers - not exactly rosebuds! They were probably overtaken simply because the boy's attention flattered them.

Anonymous | 2:03 p.m. June 30, 2009

New Age,

The kids of today are less mature than say the kids of the fifties. Men and women were ready to marry and start families after High School. If they wanted to marry at 15, it wasn't a big deal. That has a lot to do with our lack of parenting, but just cause a kid does 'devious' things that are adult-like does not mean they are mature.

THat is the problem with the story. The kid is not mature enough to engage in Sex. That is why the adult is held responsible for her choice, since she knew she could not consent to have sex with a child.

Robin L | 6:23 p.m. June 30, 2009

She is the adult.She is in a position where she has access to children.The boy is not totally innocent in this but she is an adult,a child molester,and should be registered as a sex offender and not be allowed to have access to children

RE: new age | 12:49 p.m. July 1, 2009

I tend to agree with you....

Where are these teenager's parents????????

Who's raising them?????????

This teacher should have punishment... BUT the boy should have HELP and his parents needs help toooo

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.