WAVE 09-19-16

2

3. If a child shows reluctance to go to
school.

4. Your child or teacher begins request-
ing to study outside of school hours or
off school grounds.

In 2014 alone, there were 781 reported
cases of teachers and other school em-
ployees accused or convicted of sexual
relationships with students.

Some experts say that each week a
total of 15 young people, on average,
are sexually victimized by educators en-
trusted to protect them.

Student-teacher relationships over- Texas is the home to the largest number
whelmingly remain where they should, of sexual misconduct cases in the coun-
in a classroom. However, sometimes try, investigations into alleged inappro-
that relations becomes something priate teacher-student relationships has
more, something inappropriate, and grown 27% over the past three years,
something sexual. to 179.

There shouldn’t be a time when a Kentucky schools reported more than
teacher is text messaging a student. 45 sexual relationships between teach-
They shouldn’t be emailing from a pri- ers and students in 2011, up from 25 in
vate email address. They shouldn’t be 2010.
friends on Facebook or other social
media outlets with students. There are Two things have become popular and
official communication systems in place had a massive effect on the prevalence
that teachers should use, from the of sexual misconduct in schools: social
school, to the parents and students. media and text messaging. Facebook,
Instagram, Snapchat didn’t exist 15
Students need to know that the only years ago, and the number of ten-
way a teacher or school employee nagers with their own cell phones has
should contact them is by an official balloned.
school approved site or method. Em-
ployees should never post or send any- Nearly 80 pecent of youth ages 12 to 17
thing through social networking sites. own a cell phone, and 94 percent now
have a Facebook account. Classroom
While technology has changed the way sexual predators have been exploiting
people view relationships today, in the these new, unsupervised modes of
home the signs that something is wrong communication to develop improper re-
has not changed. lationships with students out of sight of
parents and administrators.
For parents here are a few red flags that
something might be wrong In 2014, while male school employees
were the perpetrators in two-thirds of all
1. If your child begins obsessively talk- reported sexual misconduct cases with
ing about a teacher. students. Female employees were
more likely to use social media to lure
2. Or the opposite, where a child avoids students.
talking about a teacher all together, per-
haps even bothered when that person Continued on last page
is brought up.

Following is just a small list of Colorado, where she was working, on 3
teachers arrested/accused of having charges stemming from an alleged sex-
ual relationship with a female student dent and attempting to arrange group
sexual relations with students lasting from 2001 to 2005. The girl, now sex with her. Police were called in when
a student at Whitworth College in the girl’s mother became suspicious of
Abbie Jane Swogger, 34: Teacher’s Spokane, Wash., told a school coun- Mr. Nothcutt’s attention toward her
selor about the relationship that had oc- daughter
aide at Highlands Senior High School in curred in California beginning when she
was 13. During that time, according to Andrea Martinez, 26: Schoolteacher
Harrison, Pa., the girl, she and Holloway were intimate with the Stanfield Elementary School
“over 100 times.” “We have a very spe- District in
was arrested cial relationship. It is a gift from God,” Maricopa
states an alleged e-mail from Holloway C o u n t y,
Feb. 22, to the girl in March 2003. “Not many Ariz., was
people are going to understand that, but arrested
2008, for rent- we know in our hearts that God made June 30,
us for each other!” Holloway is fighting 2010, when
ing a hotel extradition. police,
using night-
room where Adrienne Laflamme, 60: Science vision gog-
teacher at the Brevard County Juvenile gles from a distance, observed two
police found Detention Center in Cocoa, Fla., was individuals in her white SUV appearing
arrested June 25, to have consensual sexual intercourse.
beer, mari- 2008, for having Officers learned that the male in the car
a four-week was only 14 years old and a former stu-
juana, an heated affair with dent of Martinez. Reportedly, both ad-
an inmate stu- mitted to having sexual intercourse
open condom dent, 17, within before the officers arrived and the teen
days of his re- claimed the same had happened the
wrapper and lease. The boy’s previous month.
mother said the
at least four teacher regularly Angela Comer, 26: Middle-school
picked him up from their home to have teacher from Tompkinsville, Ky., fled
teenage girls and boys, including sev- sex at her own residence. Laflamme with her al-
had sex with the student at least 15 leged lover,
eral of her 15-year-old son’s friends. times, including one threesome with a her 14-year-
14-year-old boy. She has been charged old male stu-
Though categorically denying rumors with 15 counts of unlawful sex with mi- dent, before
nors and one count of filing a false po- being tracked
she was having sex with students from lice repor down in Mex-
ico where she
the school, Swogger was quoted as Amy Northcutt, 26: Former history reportedly
teacher at Tur- planned to
saying, “I was stupid, very stupid. I al- lock Christian marry the boy.
School in Tur- Comer later claimed she was forced at
ready know I was and I can understand lock, Calif. was gunpoint by the boy to go to Mexico.
arrested on She was indicted in January 2006 for il-
you looking at me wrong. It’s the June 2, 2008, legal sex acts with a minor and returned
along with her to Kentucky. Charges included felony
biggest mistake I ever made in my husband, Justin custodial interference, two counts of
Northcutt, 27, a third-degree sodomy and four counts of
whole life.” Police allege Swogger substitute unlawful transaction with a minor relat-
teacher at the ing to sexual acts. On May 9, 2007,
“asked or encouraged” two 15-year-old same school, for sending erotic text Comer pleaded guilty to one-count of
messages to a 16-year-old female stu- third-degree sodomy, and was slated to
runaway girls to have sex with her. Ac- serve 10 years in prison as part of a
plea agreement.
cording to a police papers, Swogger ad-

mitted to having sex with a 17-year-old

boy and asked police, “How serious is

that?” The one-time exotic dancer re-

signed Feb. 25, 2008. Swogger ac-

cepted a 3- to-6-year jail term that

included a 36-year probation on May

26, 2009. “I’m sorry I was not the role

model I should have been. I’m really

sorry,” she told the judge.

Abigail Holloway, 33 The former gym
teacher at the Christian prep school,
Kings Acad-
emy, in Sunny-
vale, Calif.,
was arrested
March 5, 2009,
at St. Mary’s
Academy in
Englewood,

Alexandria Vera, 24: Middle-school Alison Peck, 23: Former teacher at 4
teacher for the Aldine Independent dis- Greenfield High School in Greenfield,
trict in Hous- Mo., was pleaded guilty to six charges – three
ton, Texas, charged second-degree criminal sexual conduct
accused of May 22, with a minor and three lewd acts on a
having sex 2009, in minor. “Today, I publicly admit my guilt
with her Green and would like to apologize. I sincerely
eighth-grade County apologize for the effects of my actions,”
student – an with statua- she told the court. On Feb. 19, 2008,
act that led to tory rape she was sentenced to six years in
her pregnancy after con- prison.
and later, abortion – turned herself in to vincing two
Montgomery County police in May 2016 friends to Amira Sa’Di, 30: Clayton County, Ga.,
to face charges of sexual abuse. Ac- help her spend a night at a motel in
cording to local media and court docu- Springfield with a 16-year-old boy who math teacher at
ments, Vera admittedly engaged in a used to be her student. Peck had al-
long-running sexual relationship with ready been charged in Dade County on Mundy’s Mill High
the boy with the knowledge and support May 14 with having sexual relations
of his parents. Vera, an English teacher, with the boy at a park in that county School was ar-
allegedly told authorities she first met sometime between January and March.
the boy, then 13, during summer school On the day after receiving that citation, rested and
and gave him her phone number when she arranged with friends to meet the
he asked. She also allegedly said the boy at the Springfield motel. On May charged with sex-
boy asked her to hang out, and she 17, she was charged with statuatory
agreed, and that over the course of a sodomy and statuatory rape because ual assault of a
couple of days, kissing led to a sexual the boy told the detective that he had li-
relationship. As Click2Houston put it: aisons with Peck at her home in Mount student in Novem-
“Vera said the student’s parents not Vernon. Judges have set bonds of
only knew about the relationship, they $2,500 in Dade County, $10,000 in ber 2005. She re-
approved of it and allowed the teen to Lawrence County, and $200,000 in
spend the night at Vera’s home … Greene County and Leo has been is- portedly remarked
where they engaged in sex on a regular sued a no-contact order, told to stay
basis, according to court documents. 1,000 feet away from the boy’s home she didn’t think
She told an investigator that she would and school and to surrender her pass-
drop him off at home in the morning so port. her relationship was inappropriate
he could catch the bus to Stovall Middle
School, prosecutors said.” Allenna Ward, 24: Minister’s daughter based on her Internet research, learn-
from Laurens County, S.C., was a sec-
Alison Mosbeck, 33: History teacher at ond-year ing Georgia’s age of consent is 16.
Dueitt Middle School in the Spring, teacher at Bell
Texas, school dis- Street Middle Amy Beck, 33: Teacher at David Starr
trict was arrested School in Clin- Jordan Middle School in Burbank,
Oct. 26, 2007, for ton, S.C., when Calif.,
allegedly having she was fired surren-
intercourse at Feb. 28, 2007, dered to
least three times for allegedly police
with one of her having sex with March
students, a 14- at least five 8, 2010,
year-old boy. The boys. Some of appar-
mother of one of the students’ friends the purported victims, ages 14 and 15, ently
saw text messages from Mosbeck on were students at Ward’s school. Author- over-
the student’s cellphone and alerted au- ities say the married woman had sex come
thorities. with the boys not only on campus, but by guilt,
also at a motel, in a park and behind a accord-
restaurant. On Sept. 6, 2007, Ward ing to
authorities. She allegedly had a sexual
relationship with one of her male stu-
dents, who was 14 at the time, from
March to September 2009. Beck was
charged with five counts, including
four counts of unlawful sex with a per-
son under 16 and one count of oral
copulation with a person under 16.
She faces up a maximum sentence of
up to seven years in state prison.

Ashley Flores, 26: Former East Junior year. Seattle’s 5

High teacher in KOMO-TV re- Chester, who was married, admitted to
having sex with the boy numerous
Ponca City, ports school offi- times, including once in the school park-
ing lot. Her husband filed for divorce a
Okla., was cials initially month after her January 2008 arrest.

charged Oct. 1, contacted author- Beth Shepherd, 34: Special-education
teacher at Reed
2008, with sec- ities March 8 after High School in
Washoe County,
ond-degree rape the boy’s mother Nev., was ar-
rested April 22,
after prosecutors approached Kent- 2011, for al-
legedly engag-
said she had a lake staff mem- ing in sexual
acts with two 17-
sexual relation- bers. The mom year-old male
students inside
ship with a 14- reportedly became suspicious about the her personal vehicle away from school
grounds. She faced felony counts of
year-old former relationship after seeing an large num- sexual conduct between a school em-
ployee and a pupil. She reportedly told
student over the summer. According to ber of text messages between her son investigators that one student forced
her to engage in sexual activities, while
the court affidavit, Flores had sex with and the teacher. Anderson allegedly she denied any contact with the other.

the boy at her home while her own chil- texted the boy roughly 800 times, in- Brandy Lynn Gonzales, 27: The Hous-
ton-area teacher and her husband were
dren were there. cluding more than 100 texts in a 24- arrested
in De-
hour period. The teen also told his uncle cember
2006 for
Autumn Leathers, 24: English teacher “he was getting laid by a teacher.” sexually
at Mountain Ridge High School in Al- assault-
leghany County, Md., was arrested Aug. Becci Hill, 31: Martinsville, Ind., coun- ing stu-
20, 2008, for selor at Sanders School in Wayne dents at
allegedly Township arrested in 2006 for for sexual an ele-
having a activity with a mentary
sexual rela- 15-year-old school
tionship with autistic boy. two
one of her Prosecutors years
16-year-old say what earlier.
students. Of- started as a Prose-
ficers say mentor rela- cutors
they were tionship allege
contacted by turned into a sexual liaison that lasted that
a resident, a year. Hill would allegedly park her car Gonza-
who noticed down the street from the boy’s home, les met a student at a local movie the-
the student at Leathers’ home several and he would climb out his window to ater, where she performed oral sex on
times in the late evening. Leathers was meet her in the middle of the night. In the boy as well as another student at
sentenced to five years of unsupervised January 2007, Hill pleaded guilty to sex- the theater. Husband Johnny Gonzales
probation on April 1, 2009. She was ual misconduct with a minor, and was is also charged with having performed
also required to register as a sex of- given a two-year prison sentence and sex acts with one teen. Prosecutors told
fender for her conviction on one count forced to register as a sex offender. the judge they have sufficient evidence
of fourth-degree sex offense. A one- to file further charges.
year jail term was suspended during her Beth Ann Chester, 27: Former Moon
court appearance. Leathers pleaded Area High School health and gym
guilty to the crime in January. In return, teacher in Pittsburgh was sentenced to
the state dropped more serious 1 1/2 to 3 years in jail on Aug. 20, 2008,
charges, including child abuse and as- after plead-
sault. ing guilty to
three
Barbara Anderson, 37: Math teacher charges
at Kentlake High School in King County, stemming
Wash., was booked March 17, 2011, on from the ro-
felony charges for allegedly having sex mantic rela-
with one of her 17-year-old students. tionship she
According to court documents, Ander- had with a
son was the boy’s math teacher and then-14-
after-school tutor during his sophomore year-old boy.

Brenda Baillargeon, 39: Teacher’s was arraigned on charges including in- 6
aide in the Amery School District of Polk voluntary deviate sexual intercourse,
County, Wis., aggravated indecent assault, indecent sual, and
charged in No- assault and statutory sexual assault. report-
vember 2007 Szychulski, who is married and has a 4- edly took
with having year-old son, is accused of having sex place off
sex with a 16- with the teen once in her vehicle and school
year-old male twice at the middle school, including her grounds
student. The il- office and a storage room near the band after the
licit seven- room. District Judge Regina Armitage pair had
month sexual set bail at $500,000 unsecured. He also ex-
relationship banned her from having contact with ju- changed
with the high- veniles other than her son, or from con- phone numbers in a restaurant. In No-
school student she tutored included tacting any Central Bucks County vember 2006, Patch was sentenced to
road trips and sneaking into his home students or employees. Her attorney re- no jail time, despite comments from the
in the early-morning hours for sex, ac- portedly sought leniency, as Szychulski judge that a man would have likely gone
cording to the criminal complaint. She was dealing with a complicated preg- to prison.
was his first love, and they planned to nancy at the time of her arrest.
be married after she got a divorce, court Carmen Brown: Teacher and boys
records stated. Brittni Colleps, 27: English teacher at basketball coach at Saranac High
Kennedale High School in Arlington, School in
Brenda Osborne, 43: Former Xenia Texas, was arrested May 16, 2011, for Saranac,
High School volleyball coach and coun- allegedly hav- Michigan, re-
selor in ing sex with signed in the
Xenia, five male stu- summer of
Ohio, was dents. The 2015 amid al-
arrested mother of legations she
Sept. 3, three whose had an inap-
2009, and husband is in propriate rela-
charged the military tionship with a student, and she
with having was charged defended her relationship with the teen
an inappro- with five in an interview with WOOD-TV. A memo
priate sex- counts of hav- in her file says Brown had an “inappro-
ual relationship with a female student. ing an im- priate romantic and sexual relationship”
While she initially denied the charge, in proper relationship with a student. All of with an 18-year-old student, both while
March, Osborne changed her plea to the students involved were 18 or older, the student was in school and after he
guilty to a charge of sexual battery, and but it’s a second-degree felony offense graduated. It goes on to say Brown
was sentenced June 30, 2010, to six for teachers to have a sexual relation- “groomed” the 18-year-old, used elec-
months in jail and five years probation. ship with a student. The first student tronic media to further the relationships
who had intercourse with Colleps said and sent photos to him in which she
Bridgett Szychulski, 31: Band teacher that he and the four other teens had sex was “partially clothed.” “I care for [the
for the Lenape Middle School in with Colleps on “multiple occasions” at 18-year-old]. My son cares for him, and
Doylestown, Pennsylvania, accused of her residence, according to an affidavit. I just don’t like words like ‘grooming’
having sex On at least one occasion, all five stu- and ‘half- naked’ pictures, because
at least dents were in the same room at the that’s not how it is,” said Brown. “We’ve
three times time the sexual acts were taking place, been very good friends. We have a
with a 14- with video footage being recorded. strong friendship, as well. It’s not a
year-old Colleps was found guilty on Aug. 17, scandalous, backseat type of love affair
boy at the 2012. that it’s being made out to be.” Brown
school. She said she knows the relationship was not
was sus- Cameo Patch, 29: Substitute teacher a professional one between a teacher
pended in at Tooele High School in Tooele, Utah, and student. “I’m sorry that, you know,
September arrested for allegedly performing oral the relationship did develop beyond
2014, and sex on a 17-year-old male student. The what was considered professional, but
sexual activity was allegedly consen- a lot of the words being used are not
representative of what the relationship
is,” she said.

Carrie McCandless, 29: The former performed oral sex on the children on 7
Colorado social-studies teacher, who several occasions in 2005. On July 9,
also happens to be married to the prin- 2007, she pleaded no contest Monday sex with the boy in an SUV. LaFave
cipal, was charged in November 2006 to 25 counts; 21 of them involving statu- claimed at a March 2006 news confer-
with having tory sodomy. ence she had a bipolar disorder. The
had sexual boy’s father said LaFave should have
contact with Deanna Bobo, 37: Special-education received prison time in her plea deal,
a 17-year-old noting, “It’s a horrible, ugly thing that
male student teacher at Ray- she’s done.”
during an
overnight mond E. Wells Denise Keesee, 38: Teacher at Sher-
school camp- wood High School in Sherwood, Ore.,
ing trip. The Junior High turned herself in to the Washington
instructor, County Sheriff’s office June 17, 2013,
who also School in Green- facing sex-
coached cheerleading, pleaded guilty ual abuse
April 24, 2007, to felonies of tampering wood, Ark., al- charges,
with physical evidence and contributing stemming
to the delinquency of a minor. She also legedly had sex from accu-
pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of un- sations of
lawful sexual contact with a minor. She twice in 2005 sexual con-
was not expected to serve any jail time. tact with at
with a 14-year- least three
Carrie O’Conner, 33: Counselor at students. A
Montgomery County High School in old boy in his grand jury
Mount Vernon, Ga., arrested Aug. 13, indicted
2007, for al- own bed while her on six
legedly having counts of
sex with a 16- his parents were second-de-
year-old male gree sex-
student. The not home. She ual abuse.
relationship is According to the Oregonian, Keesee
said to have denied the charge, but was convicted in was under investigation for sexual con-
lasted from tact with one male student in November
January September 2006 of two counts of first- 2012. Investigators believed in June
through July. 2013 there were at least three male vic-
According to degree sexual assault and sentenced to tims in incidents spanning her entire
police, the abuse was first reported in time at Sherwood High. “We believe
March 2007 to a teacher and a proba- 12 years in prison. there is a possibility there are more out
tion officer, but they were reportedly re- there,” said Det. Robert Rookhuyzen.
luctant to inform the superintendent Deborah Reeder, 45: Substitute “Male victims are a very difficult popu-
because O’Conner is the superinten- teacher from Coral Springs, Fla., ar- lation to work with, primarily because
dent’s daughter. rested in De- they may not feel they’ve been victim-
cember ized. There’s reluctance to report, and
Cathy Heminghaus, 46: Special-edu- 2006, there’s stigma.” On April 21, 2014,
cation teacher from Ferguson, Mo., charged with Judge Kirsten Thompson sentenced
charged with having sex at Keesee to 30 days in custody for the
statutory sodomy least four sexual abuse of a 16-year-old student,
involving at least times with a along with five years of probation.
three of her stu- 17-year-old Keesee also must register as a sex of-
dents at Fergu- boy who was fender, surrender her teaching license,
son Middle a friend of complete sex-offender treatment and
School. She re- one of her own three children. The vic- have no contact with teens unless ap-
portedly told tim told police they had sex multiple proved by her probation officer. “I’m
friends she had times in her car, her bed, on the floor of doing everything I can to rectify my
her bedroom and in the master bed- wrong,” she told the court. “I am moti-
room shower. vated to continue to change.”

Debra LaFave, 25: Tampa, Fla., area
teacher received no jail time despite
having sex with
her 14-year-old
male student in
a classroom
and her Hills-
borough
County home.
In another
county, Marion,
she was ac-
cused of having

Diana Canter, 34: Former Christians- Dorothy Dixon, 29: Special-needs 8
burg High School teacher in Virginia teacher at
was charged July 20, 2010 with having Northgate spokesperson Cristen Rensel. Mac
sex with one High School Hall, head of Canterbury School, re-
of her stu- in Fayet- leased this statement: “This situation is
dents – a 17- teville, Ga., deeply sad for us, because our students
year-old was and their safety is our primary concern.
male – dur- charged We are aware of the arrest of a former
ing the 2008- May 27, employee. The teacher resigned before
09 school 2011, with this information became available to us,
year. On the child mo- however once we were made aware of
website rate- lestation in- the information we immediately re-
volving a ported the matter to DCF as required by
myteacher.com, someone described 15-year-old former student. Dixon was law.”
Canter on July 2 as “The next teacher arrested after her husband found sex-
you’ll see on the news. Wants the cute ting messages on his wife’s phone, con- Elizabeth Miklosovic, 36: Grand
guys to drool and the lonely girls to be fronted her and reported her Rapids,
in her click [sic].” Canter was charged explanation to authorities. The Coweta Mich.,
with eight counts of taking indecent lib- County Sheriff’s Office said investiga- teacher at
erties with a minor. She pleaded no tors were alerted to what is said to have South
contest and was found guilty of all eight been a sexual relationship between Haven’s
counts and sentenced in March 2011 to Dixon and one of her ex-students, a Baseline Mid-
48 months in jail. The judge suspended special-needs student. When Dixon’s dle School
the entire sentence and ordered Canter husband originally saw the sexual text pleaded no
to spend 24 months on probation with messages, he presumed the communi- contest to
12 months supervised, perform 200 cations were with an adult male. But sexually as-
hours of community service and have what Dixon told him when he con- saulting a 14-year-old female student
no contact with the victim or his family. fronted her, was that she had been hav- she “married” in a pagan ritual in June
He also fined her $2,000. The student ing relations with a teen boy whom she 2004. Miklosovic is also accused of
said he had attempted suicide when had previously taught in a special- touching the girl’s genitals while camp-
their relationship ended. needs class at Northgate. ing in public parks. She told the judge
before sentencing, “The entire ordeal
Donna Washburne, 47: Librarian as- Elisha Kinglsey, 39: Substitute teacher has been blown totally out of proportion
sistant at at the private Canterbury School of for something that was innocent, kind
Cheyenne Florida in and nurturing in nature.” She was sen-
High St. Peters- tenced to five to 25 years.
School, burg was
Las Vegas, arrested Elizabeth Munn, 32: Gloversville, N.Y.,
Nev., was Aug. 18, teacher was ar-
arrested 2014, on a rested for statua-
July 26, charge she tory rape of an
2009, on a had sexual eighth-grade male
charge of sexual misconduct with a stu- relations student half her
dent. She allegedly performed oral sex with a 16- age after some-
on a 17-year-old boy in the back seat of year-old one alerted police
her car while in the school parking lot, male stu- with a complaint.
according to the arresting school police dent. The The social studies
officer who said he observed the inci- Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office began teacher, who had
dent. The police report said the boy told its investigation July 22. “She met him worked in the Broadalbin-Perth School
police Washburne had called him ear- toward the end of the school year, and District for more than five years, was
lier in the day and asked if he wanted to during the summer they started texting considered a competent teacher and
hang out. Washburne told officers she back and forth on a phone app. On or the news of her arrest was called a sur-
thought the boy was 18-years-old. about July 5th, they met and had sexual prise by a district official. According to
relations at an area that we are not dis- the Fulton County D.A., Munn admitted
closing at this time,” said sheriff’s office to being involved with the 15-year-old
student over the summer but wouldn’t
give any details.

9

Munoz-Juvera, 26: These twin sisters she basically got a slap on the wrist,” Gina Marie Watring, 40: Teacher’s as-
– both teachers – were arrested in said the boy’s mother, Shasta Belty. “I sistant at Creekside Elementary in
Southern California in December 2006 cussed. I cried. I totally disagreed with Durham, N.C., was arrested April 29,
it. (Assistant District Attorney Amanda 2009, and
in connection with alleged lewd acts Self) was under the impression that we charged
with an underage female student. Only were OK with a conviction as long as with hav-
Franca was charged with “unlawful con- (Queen) never taught again. Well, we ing sexual
tact” – Antonia was charged with being were OK with a conviction of the sec- inter-
aware of the incident and failing to re- ond-degree rape … or something that course
port it as required under California law. represents the sexual misconduct.” with a 10-
An 18-year-old female roommate was year-old
also arrested because she “facilitated Gail E. Gagne, 25: Former weight- male stu-
the crime.” On June 6, 2008, Franca room super- dent on at
was sentenced to 240 days in jail. An- visor and least two
tonia and the roomate were sentenced teacher at occasions.
to 120 days in jail to be served on week- Cretin-Der- According
ends. ham Hall, a to search warrants in the case, school
Catholic administrators first became suspicious
Erin Kathleen Queen, 27: English school in St. of Watring – who taught drama and
teacher at Charles Page High School in Paul, Minn., dance at the school – after intercepting
Tulsa, Okla., was arrested March 17, allegedly a note written by the boy. “Gina, I love
2012, after she was found at the Can- conducted you so much babe. I’m so lucky to have
dlewood a sexual relationship with a male high- you. I’m glad you feel the same way. I
Suites school football star, who worked under want to be with you forever. I’d never do
hotel in her supervision in the weight room. Ac- anything to hurt u,” it read. School offi-
Tulsa cording to the complaint filed the first cials said they found a cell phone in the
with the week of December 2009, the pair had child’s possession, and text messages
17-year- sex in her home and overnight in a hotel between him and Watring. During ques-
old son of in September 2008. On March 28, tioning by detectives, the boy told them
Shasta 2011, Gagne received a stayed jail sen- that he was in love with Watring and
and tence of one year and a $300 fine as that they had had sex on two separate
Adam part of a plea agreement. “The family is occasions in her home. Steve Monks,
Belty. Al- left holding the dirty laundry of the de- attorney for Watring, said his client is
though fendant’s unprofessional and self-serv- married with children, and is active in
Queen ing actions,” the mother of the male Sunday school at church. He said Wa-
was originally charged with second-de- student was quoted as saying after the tring is innocent and that the case
gree rape and contributing to the delin- sentencing. stems from “the infatuation of a 10-year-
quency of a minor for supplying the boy old boy.”
with vodka, the case was dismissed Gay Lyn Turley, 42: Mesa High School
March 21, 2012, when Queen pleaded teacher and Gwen Cardozo, 33: Teacher at Was-
guilty to a different felony count of con- softball son High School in Colorado Springs,
tributing to the delinquency of a minor. coach in Colo., ac-
She received no jail time, but got three Scottsdale, cused of hav-
years of probation, was fined $600 and Ariz., was ing sex with a
was ordered to surrender her teacher’s arrested on 17-year-old
license. “It’s very frustrating to us that Dec. 19, male student.
2007, after Police
a 20-year- charged her
old woman with sexual
who had assault on a child by one in a position
lived with her told police of their sexual of trust, and Cardozo resigned her po-
relationship that began when she was sition in March 2005. She pleaded guilty
16 and a student at Mesa. The relation- in July 2005 and received a deferred
ship had soured between the pair ear- sentence, meaning no jail time if she re-
lier in the year. mains trouble-free for four years.

Heather Lynne Zeo, 37: The married with her 16- 10
math teacher from North Penn High year-old
School in Lansdale, Penn., was ar- male stu- mother, admitted to engaging in sexual
rested May 21, 2009, for allegedly hav- dent. Sheriff activity with the boy on at least one oc-
ing a Jim Johnson casion.
sexual re- said Johns
lationship tutored the Jaymee Wallace, 28: Basketball coach
with a 17- boy at her in Tampa, Fla., charged with having an
year-old home, which 18-month lesbian relationship with a
student is where the student. Authorities say the student,
the previ- incidents al- who was 15 when she met Wallace, vol-
ous month legedly occurred. None are said to have untarily had sex
and leav- taken place on campus. Johns was sus- with the coach
ing sexu- pended from the classroom a week more than 50
ally explicit berfore her arrest because she had times, in a
Internet sent an improper text message to the parking lot at
and phone student. She was charged with one Busch Gardens
messages count of sexual battery, with further and often at
for another student earlier in the school charges pending. Wallace’s own
year. Police report Zeo – a Christian apartment
singer who has released two CDs – ad- Janelle Batkins, 42: French teacher while a fellow
mitted to the sexual relationship. The at Ro- classmate was
mother of three used Facebook to com- seville in an adjacent
municate with the boy about sexual acts High room. Accord-
the two were to perform on one another. School in ing to the police
As rumors of the relationship grew, Leo Roseville, report, the sexual relationship report-
began meeting the boy for sex in her Mich., edly began in early 2003, after the stu-
minivan at a Target store parking lot. was ar- dent received a note from Wallace
rested in saying she “found her attractive and
Hope Jacoby, 23: The athletic trainer Septem- wanted to know if she felt the same
at Tustin High School in Orange County, ber 2007 way.” On Dec. 5, 2007, Wallace was
Calif., was arrested Christmas Eve and sentenced to three years of prison, fol-
2008 on charged lowed by three years of sex offender
suspicion with two counts of third degree crimi- probation. In late October 2009, the for-
of oral nal sexual conduct for a relationship mer student filed suit against the school
copula- with a 17-year-old student that had district for failing to protect her, alleging
tion of a begun the previous December and the school didn’t properly investigate
minor and lasted until June. The former “teacher the teacher before her hiring and didn’t
unlawful of the year” resigned her position immediately tell the girl’s parents when
sex with a it discovered the relationship. The law-
minor. Ja- Janet Hughes, 32: Viera, Fla., teacher suit says the girl suffered “embarrass-
coby had at Jackson Middle School in Titusville, ment, mental anguish and physical
worked with athletes at the school for Fla., ar- illness.”
the last year. “Even though the age gap rested
may be fairly close, it’s still illegal and April 23, Heather Ingram, 30: Mathematics, sci-
we will arrest,” a Sheriff’s Department 2007, ence and business
spokesman said. On July 29, 2009, Ja- after de- teacher at Chat-
coby was sentenced to three years of tectives elech Secondary
informal probation and 240 hours of found her School in Sechelt,
community service for her crime. in the British Columbia,
company had sex with a 17-
Hope Johns, 31: English teacher at of a 16- year-old student. The relationship cost
Saltillo High School in Lee County, year-old male student inside a van in a Ingram her job and reportedly led to the
Miss., was arrested Oct. 13. 2009, for church parking lot. According to the ar- breakup of her 12-year common-law
allegedly having a sexual relationship rest affidavit, Hughes, who is a wife and marriage to a man four years her sen-
ior.

Jennifer Dorland, 42: Grade 7 and 8 teacher at Kellyville High School in Kel- 11
teacher at Rothwell-Osnabruck School, lyville,
Ingleside, Okla., male student allegedly having sexual
Ontario, got in relations in a parked car near a local
was found hot dam. While Kansas teens can legally
guilty on water in consent to sex at age 16, it is a felony
Dec. 20, the for teachers to have relations with any
2007, of spring of student of any age who attends the
sexual as- 2014 for school where they work. Harder re-
sault, invi- giving a signed her position then rescinded her
tation to failing decision. The school board voted to fire
sexual student her on April 2, 2008.
touching an A+ after allegedly having sex with
and sex- the teenager multiple times. According Katie Cross, 31: High-school English
ual interference with a 13-year-old boy to the arrest report, the teen had been teacher from Phonenixville, Pa., who
in September 2004. She admitted she failing English in the previous semester, taught at Collegium Charter School in
had sent inappropriate e-mails to the but his grade-point-average jumped to Exton, Pa., was arrested in July 2015
former student, but denied she had en- 98 percent after having sex for months and charged with having a physical re-
gaged in a sexual relationship with the with his teacher. The student’s mother lationship with one of the school’s male
young male. “It was absolutely a terri- reportedly told police the teen admitted students. Cross was charged with insti-
ble, horrible idea. I have been paying to having sex with the woman at Hey- tutional sexual assault, unlawful contact
for that e-mail and conversation for two burn Lake in Creek County and again at with a minor, corruption of minors and
years,” she said. the Renaissance Hotel in Tulsa. endangering the welfare of children.
Thompson turned herself in to authori- She was arrested and released on
Jennifer Rice, 31: Tacoma, Wash., ties in April, and faced a charge of sec- $150,000 unsecured bail. According to
teacher ar- ond-degree rape. “This will follow her the criminal complaint, on July 1 around
rested for the rest of her career,” Creek County 8 p.m. a resident in the 1400 block of
Aug. 11, Detective Chrissie Underwood told Scenic Drive in East Bradford called po-
2007, for KOTV. “She probably will not have a ca- lice and reported a suspicious vehicle in
allegedly reer in teaching after this.” front of their house. The caller said it ap-
kidnap- peared that there was a male and fe-
ping and Karen Robbins: Laurens County, S.C., male inside the vehicle and that they
raping her woman was charged on Sept. 23, 2007, were having “an intimate encounter.”
10-year- with criminal sexual conduct with a The alleged victim told investigators
old stu- minor and committing a lewd act upon Cross was his English teacher this year
dent a child. Police say the incidents took and that the two have had a physical re-
numerous place in her car and in her home. The lationship since February 2015. He said
times. alleged crimes occured when the for- there were two occasions when Cross
Rice was an instructor at McKinley Ele- mer teacher was working at Bell Street reportedly picked him up and drove
mentary School whose contract was not Middle School in Clinton. This is the them to
renewed after the school received com- same school where teacher Allenna a se-
plaints she was socializing inappropri- Ward (page 4) also on this list, had sex cluded
ately with students. Authorities say Rice with five boys area.
admitted she raped the fourth-grade The stu-
boy at a rest stop, and court documents Katherine J. Harder, 31 Language arts dent
indicate the pair had intercourse several teacher at Manhattan High School, near said on
times on previous occasions, including To p e k a , both oc-
once in the boy’s home. On Sept. 10, Kansas, was casions
2007, prosecutors filed additional arrested they had
charges against Rice for allegedly rap- March 26, physical
ing another boy, age 14- to 16-years 2008, when a contact
old. deputy on pa- with
trol found the each
Kalyn Darby Thompson, 25: English woman and a other
17-year-old and that the two had “kissed passion-
ately” in her classroom several times
prior to the start of the school day.

Katryna Martin, 28: The eighth-grade Kesha D. Manuel, 29: The former Be- 12
science teacher at North Gulfport laire High School art teacher from
School in Gulfport, Miss., was arrested Baton Rouge, La., received active su- as “a 25-year-old in a 13-year-old’s
on Feb. pervised probation for five years and body,” “was more experienced than any
13, 2009, unsupervised bench probation for two man she’s had sex with,” police report
and years on Feb. 17, 2009, after pleading her saying.
charged guilty to a felony charge of cruelty to a
with un- juvenile and a misdemeanor charge of Lauren Harrington-Cooper, 31: This
lawful carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Manuel
touching was origi- Pennsylvania English teacher was
of a child nally sen-
for lustful tenced to charged institutional sexual assault for
purposes eight years
and sexual hard labor allegedly having sex five times in a sin-
battery. Police said the alleged victim and six ad-
was one of Martin’s former students ditional gle week in December 2013 with an 18-
who was being tutored in her home. months in
After making bail, Martin was placed prison on year-old male student. Lauren
under house arrest and fitted with an the two
electronic GPS bracelet and ordered charges but the sentence was sus- Harrington-Cooper, 31, from Plymouth,
not to enter a “1 1/2 square mile red pended. Manuel was arrested in Octo-
zone” around the girl’s residence and ber 2007. According to reports, she and Pa., is an in-
school. She was arrested a second time the 15-year-old student frequently ex-
on March 4, 2009, and charged with changed letters during the school day, structor at
statuatory rape for alleged sexual inter- and on Oct. 20, 2007, they met at a
course with a 15-year-old male student public library and had sexual inter- Wyoming Valley
at her home in July 2008. course in a stall in the women’s rest-
room. Manuel admitted to a deputy she West High
Katryna Martin, 28: The eighth-grade allowed him to kiss and fondle her in her
science teacher at North Gulfport classroom during free periods. School. She’s
School in
Gulfport, Kristy Sanchez-Trujillo, 33: Seventh- accused of per-
Miss., was grade social studies teacher at Jimmy
arrested on Carter Middle School in Albuquerque forming oral sex
Feb. 13, was arrested Oct. 28, 2009, for rape
2009, and over accusations she had sex with one on the senior
charged of her students, a 13-year-old boy.
with unlaw- “Miss three times and
ful touching Sanchez-
of a child Trujillo con- having intercourse with him twice. A
for lustful fided in
purposes and sexual battery. Police another probable-cause affidavit indicates the
said the alleged victim was one of Mar- teacher that
tin’s former students who was being tu- she was sister of the alleged victim told her
tored in her home. After making bail, having an
Martin was placed under house arrest inappropri- brother that Harrington-Cooper said he
and fitted with an electronic GPS ate relation-
bracelet and ordered not to enter a “1 ship with a was “hot” on Dec. 13, 2013. The sister
1/2 square mile red zone” around the student,” a police officer said. “That
girl’s residence and school. She was ar- teacher thankfully came forward imme- subsequently gave him the teacher’s
rested a second time on March 4, 2009, diately, told police.” The single mother
and charged with statuatory rape for al- of three reportedly told police the pair phone number. Harrington-Cooper and
leged sexual intercourse with a 15-year- had sex in the backseat of her SUV at
old male student at her home in July “our spot,” and that it was “loving and the student began texting each other
2008. caring.” The boy, whom she described
later that day and agreed to “hang out.”

She began to pick him up in front of his

house or around the corner. The par-

ents of the alleged victim discovered

their son had a “sexually explicit conver-

sation” with a teacher after he borrowed

his mother’s laptop and used the free

texting website Pinger. The affidavit

also says the teacher admitted she

knew the alleged victim was a senior at

the school in Plymouth and admitted to

picking him up and driving around with

him. She told authorities she had inter-

course with him twice in her vehicle and

oral sex with him once in her vehicle.

Because the student is 18, the teacher

was not charged with statutory sexual

assault or corruption of minors. Assis-

tant District Attorney Jenny Roberts told

the Scranton Times-Tribune that a vic-

tim must be under 16 for statutory sex-

ual assault and under 18 for corruption

of minors. The age of consent in Penn-

sylvania is 16, and a defendant charged

with statutory sexual assault must be

four or more years older than the victim.

Leslie Baird, 42: Teacher at Tooele Lindsay Massaro, 23: The student 13
High School in Tooele, Utah, arrested
in 2006 for allegedly having sex with teacher at K-8 Megan Mahoney, 24: Gym teacher
two male students, ages 17 and 18. and assistant basketball coach at the
The Frankford Ele- Moore Catholic High School in Gran-
mother iteville, New York, in January 2014
of the mentary School amid allegations she had sex dozens of
17-year- times with a 16-year-old male student,
old boy in Sussex including on the Staten Island campus.
said her Court papers
son’s County, N.J., claim Ma-
grades honey
dropped was arrested romped with
from the teen “on
straight March 30, numerous
As to occasions,
barely passing in the wake of the activ- 2009, for hav- that is at
ity, and he no longer participates in least two
sports. In January 2007, Baird was ing sexual en- times per
sentenced to undergo a 90-day psy- week during
chological evaluation at Utah State counters with a the period”
Prison after pleading guilty to a felony between Oct. 31, 2013, and Jan. 9,
charge of forcible sexual abuse. Her pupil in her car 2014. The New York Post reported the
judge was Mark Kouris, the same jurist boy involved was unaware of Ma-
who came under fire for giving Cameo and in her bedroom. Massaro allegedly honey’s arrest when contacted by the
Patch, another teacher at the same paper. “I don’t really know how I feel
school, no jail time for performing oral admitted to the “consensual sexual re- about it,” he said. He previously told the
sex on a 17-year-old male student. Post his relationship with Mahoney, a
lationship” with the boy she met while former basketball star at Wagner Col-
Linda Pithyou, 29,: Teacher at lege, developed after she approached
Lawrence Hall Youth Services, a Cook student teaching and working toward him in the school’s gym and offered to
County, Ill., school for troubled youth, coach him in basketball. He reportedly
was arrested on Feb. 20 and formally her state teaching certificate in special boasted about his sexcapades to his
charged on March 13, 2009, with two friends, who responded by saying,
counts of criminal sexual assault and education. Police were alerted by the “How awesome – good job.” The
four counts of aggravated sexual abuse charges against Mahoney are felonies
for allegedly having sex with a boy, 15. boy’s father who claimed his son was that each carry a maximum of four
She allegedly drank alcohol, smoked years in jail. Mahoney’s arrest caught
marijuana and en- having an “ongoing sexual relationship” the attention of radio host Rsh Lim-
gaged in oral sex baugh, who said, “It never happened
and sexual inter- with the eighth-grade student teacher when I was in school. It never ever hap-
course with the pened when I was in school, damn it.
boy approximately at his son’s school. On Valentine’s Day Anyway, it’s a sign of the changing
four times a week times.
at various loca- 2011, Massaro pleaded guilty to one
tions in a car be- Maria Saco, 28: Math teacher at Lin-
tween January 27, count of second-degree sexual assault. coln Middle School in Passaic, N.J.,
2009 and February 23, 2009, occasion- sentenced in 2005 to a year in jail for
ally with her 16-month-old son in the Lisa Robyn Marinelli, 40: An educator an intimate relationship with a teen stu-
back seat, according to prosecutors. in Tampa Bay, the investigation into her dent who was 14 when they first met.
On April 10, 2009, the boys father filed activities was launched after a 17-year- Saco reportedly gave the boy a key to
a negligence suit seeking in excess of old boy’s father told investigators he her apartment.
$50,000 against Lawrence Hall. saw his son
Pithyou faces up to 15 years if con- “holding his
victed. pants together
and putting
them back in
place” after get-
ting out of
Marinelli’s 2007
Chrysler 300.
Spokesman
Kevin Doll of the
Pasco County sheriff’s office said she
was arrested March 24, 2008, and ac-
cused of unlawful sex with a minor. She
also is accused of giving the boy a pair
of underwear as a memento. Marinelli
was the third Tampa Bay area teacher
to be charged in a short period of time
with a sex-related crime against a
minor. In Hillsborough County, former
Davidsen Middle School math teacher
Stephanie Ragusa and Freedom High
English teacher Mary Jo Spack of Wes-
ley Chapel were accused of having sex
with underage students.

14

Melissa Andreini, 29: Special-educa- ual assault with 99.9 percent certainty the 15-year-
tion teacher at Helper Junior High after being old was the father of the child. In a sep-
School in Utah reportedly paid her vic- accused of arate case, VanMeter pleaded guilty to
tim, a 15-year- having sex a single count of child molesting, stem-
old boy, on numer- ming from the molestation of another
between ous occa- boy. Those allegations surfaced during
$1,400 and sions with the investigation of the first case.
$1,500 after a male
three sexual student. Nicole Dufault, 35: This Essex County,
episodes at her She was New Jersey, language-arts teacher
home in June arrested Nov. 5, 2008, and was given served nine years at Columbia High
2009. Court no jail time when sentenced Aug. 4, School before being charged with ag-
documents did 2009. Snow received just eight years of gravated sexual assault on five stu-
not disclose supervised probation and was ordered dents on school property and in her car
whether the money exchanged was for to register as a convicted sex offender. and endan-
sex or to keep the boy quiet about the gering the
encounters. Andreini was initially Melissa Weber, 27: The social studies welfare of a
charged with three counts of unlawful teacher at I.S./M.S. 8 in Queens, New child. Ar-
sexual intercourse with a minor, each a York, was arrested May 29, 2009, after raigned
third-degree felony punishable by up to being found having sex in her class- Sept. 18,
five years in prison. In January 2010, room with 2014, Du-
she pleaded guilty to one count, with a 14- fault was
the other two counts dismissed. year-old held on
male stu- $500,000
Melissa Lavender, 33: Detroit-area dent. Ac- bail. UP-
culinary arts teacher at South Lake cording to DATE: As
High School in St. Clair Shores, Mich., another her defense
was arrested in August 2008 after being student, it to charges of sexually assaulting six
accused of was a male students, the attorney for Dufault
engaging common sight to see Weber after claimed in July 2015 that she suffers
in sex acts school working with several students. from a brain condition that left her de-
with two But authorities said the 27-year-old took fenseless to the students’ over-aggres-
male high- particular interest in one student, having sive behavior. Dufault’s attorney,
school stu- sex with the teen seven times from mid- Timothy Smith, said she suffers from
dents, April to mid-May, all after school. She “frontal lobe syndrome,” a condition that
ages 16 allegedly told him: “Don’t tell anyone. I experts have said is associated with so-
and 17, could get arrested and I could lose my cially inappropriate behavior and the in-
while on a teaching license.” Investigators said ability to control impulses. “Ms. Dufault
boat after the boy’s mother was tipped off by suffers from frontal lobe syndrome
owned by school employees, she checked her which has rendered her defenseless to
the par- son’s cell phone and found hundreds of over-aggressive behavior, and that is
ents of a calls and texts from Weber, the last text exactly what she was exposed to,”
former student. A published report says reading, “erase your phone.” Smith said.
Michigan’s age of consent is 16, but a
state statute makes it illegal for a Michelle VanMeter, 35: Catholic stud- Pamela Balogh, 39: Gym teacher and
teacher to engage in sex acts with a ies teacher in Fort Wayne, Ind., pleaded coach at a Somerset, N.J. Catholic
student irrespective of the student’s guilty Jan. 15, high school was
age. Lavender, who held her teaching 2008, to having sex charged in De-
job for six years, was charged with two with multiple boys, cember 2006 with
counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual ranging from age sexually assault-
conduct. 12 to 15. In June ing a 15-year-old
2007, VanMeter female student
Melissa Snow, 27: English teacher at gave birth to a over a period of 10
Sheridan High School in Denver, Colo., baby, and a pater- months. Authorities say the assaults
pleaded guilty to felony attempted sex- nity test revealed happened mainly in Balogh’s office

Pamela Diehl-Moore, 43:When this to the same boy while using her father’s 15
former teacher at Woodrow Wilson Mid- cellphone. In July 2006, she was sen-
dle School in Clifton, N.J., pleaded tenced to serve eight years for violating for the missing boys turned up letters
guilty in her probation, and in January 2007, written by one of the teachers that were
January was given an additional two years for sexually explicit and inappropriate, au-
2002 to sending the photos. thorities said.
having sex
during the Rachelle Heenan, 34: They had sex Sandra Binkley, 35: The Portland,
summer of during school events, in assorted hotels Tenn., High
1999 with a and even in the woman’s car. Now, the School
13-year-old male student is suing his former teacher teacher was
male stu- and the Texas school district for alleged charged
dent in her emotional and physical damage. The Sept. 25,
7th-grade student, using the pseudonym Mark 2008, with
class, she Smith to statutory
expected to protect his rape by an
be sen- identity, is authority fig-
tenced to accusing ure as the
three years, based on a deal worked Rachelle result of sexual contact with a 17-year-
out with prosecutors. But at her May Heenan of old boy during school hours. A week
hearing, Judge Bruce A. Gaeta sen- taking ad- later, two more students came forward
tenced her to probation, saying: “I really vantage of claiming they had had a sexual en-
don’t see the harm that was done here his imma- counter, also, on and off campus.
and certainly society doesn’t need to be ture and Center, but testified he was not entirely
worried. I do not believe she is a sexual underde- truthful at that time. On May 27, 2014,
predator. It’s just something between veloped a judge ordered Raymo to undergo an
two people that clicked beyond the mental state of mind when she repeat- evaluation to determine if she’s psycho-
teacher-student relationship. … And edly engaged the boy in sexual encoun- logically fit for trial
don’t forget, this was mutual consent.” ters. According to the Fort Worth
Following an appeal by prosecutors, Star-Telegram, Heenan was formerly a Sarah Joel , 31: Teacher at Nar-
Diehl-Moore was sentenced to serve forensic science teacher at the Hollen- coossee Community School in Osceola
three years in September 2002. stein Career and Technology Center, County, Fla.,
part of the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw arrested Jan.
Pamela Rogers Turner, 27: Former school district. She was put on admin- 25, 2008, for al-
model and beauty-pageant contestant istrative leave in May 2012 and indicted legedly having
also taught at Centertown Elementary in February 2013 on a charge of an im- sexual relations
School in McMinnville, Tenn. She was proper relationship between an educa- with one of her
arrested tor and student. The Tarrant County former male
in Febru- district attorney’s office says Heenan re- students who
ary 2005 ceived five years of deferred adjudi- was 15 at the
for al- cated probation in a plea bargain, and time. The boy
legedly she also voluntarily gave up her teach- told authorities
having a ing certificate. Heenan was 34 at the that when he
three- time of the sex, and Smith was a minor called Joel to talk about his problems,
month at age 17. Joel would pick him up and take him to
sexual her home. She faces three counts of
relation- Rebecca Becker, 28, and Maria Zu- lewd and lascivious battery, a second-
ship with a 13-year-old boy. She re- rita, 28: This teacher and teacher aide degree felony. Joel entered a guilty plea
signed her teaching position and was were arrested in May 2007 and charged Sept. 12, 2008.
charged with 15 counts of sexual bat- with statuatory rape after the pair took
tery and 13 counts of statutory rape. two 16-year-old male students from the
Originally sentenced to 270 days in Au- youth home where they worked to one
gust 2005, she got in additional trouble of their houses for a Memorial Day
in April 2006 for sending text messages, weekend of sex. The school’s search
nude photos, and sex videos of herself

16

Shannon Best, 33: Social studies Sheral Smith, 37: Sheral Smith was ar- Stacy Hopkins, 28: Physical-education
teacher at Sanderson High School in rested in September 2008, accused of teacher and basketball coach at Arling-
Raleigh, N.C., resigned April 14, 2008, having sex ton High School in Shelby County,
after being charged with taking indecent with a teen Tenn., was arrested May, 5, 2011, after
liberties with an 18-year-old female stu- boy who was allegedly having sex with two male stu-
dent. A police a student at dents and
spokesman in- New Summit texting them
dicated the en- School in nude photos
counter Jackson, of herself.
occurred at a Miss., where The stu-
residence but she worked dents, both
would not spec- briefly. She under age 18
ify the location. was not the at the time of
Although the al- boy’s the alleged
leged victim is teacher, and incidents,
of legal age, po- the alleged sexual relationship occurred told school officials they had sexual in-
lice said crimi- prior to her working there. Smith was tercourse with Hopkins. The teacher
nal charges were being pursued later fired. She’s accused of statutory told investigators she taught both stu-
because of the teacher-student nature rape and transfer of a controlled sub- dents and admitted to the crimes. On
of the alleged encounter. Best was re- stance involving a 14-year-old boy. Hopkins’ Facebook page, she de-
leased from the Wake County jail after Under state law, she can be sentenced scribed her relationship status as “com-
posting a $5,000 bond. On June 18, up to life in prison. Smith also faces one plicated.” Describing her job, she wrote,
2008, Best pleaded guilty to a charge of count of statutory rape and one count of “Teaching high school students what
misdemeanor attempted crime against sexual battery in Hinds County involving not to do or how to do it without getting
nature and giving alcohol to a student. the same teen. In October 2009, Smith caught. :-)” ending it with a smiley face.
She received a 45-day suspended jail reportedly suffered a mental breakdown Her page also lists a favorite quote
sentence, 18 months unsupervised pro- while awaiting trial. about locating the right guy. “Find a guy
bation, and was ordered to pay a $250 who calls you beautiful instead of hot,
fine and court costs. She did not have Sheryl A. Nawahine, 35: Idaho teacher Who will stay awake just to watch you
to register as a sex offender. at Fruitland High School indicted on sleep … .” Describing herself, she
Sept. 21, 2007, on three felony counts wrote: “Chances are if i meet you and
Shebana Rajput, 35: Biology and for ex- you don’t like me i’m probably not to
physical science instructor since August changing (sic) fond of you either.”
2005 at Jones Senior High School in explicit
Trenton, N.C., resigned her position text mes- Stephanie Giambelluca, 24: First-year
May 21, 2008 – just two days before sages with
she was ar- a member teacher at J.D. Meisler Middle School in
rested in her of the
home for al- school’s Metairie, La.,
leged sexual football
conduct with a team. She was arrested
17-year-old stu- allegedly
dent whose sent over in December
gender was not 1,000
released. Sher- mes- 2006 on
iff’s officials say sages, including a photo and video, to
she had sexual relations with the teen the boy – a close friend of her own charges of
in her home on nine separate occasions teenage son and daughter. “I take full
between March and May of 2008. Ra- responsibility for my actions,” she wrote molestation
jput was charged with eight counts of in a statement. “I knew better the whole
sexual activity with a student and one time. All the text and picture (sic) was and indecent
count of sex offense with a student. She generated by me, and no one else.”
was held on $100,000 bail as authori- Both Nawahine and the teen say no behavior with
ties looked into the possibility she was sexual contact occurred.
involved with additional students. a 12-year-old

male. Police

say the acts

were captured

on videotape, recorded by Ryan

Mapes, 18, who was babysitting the

boy. Giambelluca allegedly disrobed to

her underwear, performed a suggestive

dance for the boy and performed oral

sex on Mapes in front of the young stu-

dent.

Stephanie Diane Harris, 27: Teacher who described Ragusa’s courtroom de- 17
at Marble City Elementary School was meanor as arrogant. “You had a very
arrested lackadaisical attitude on your face, smil- student with
Sept. 9, ing, jovial,” Tharpe said. “If I had to sum whom she al-
2008, for up your attitude in one word, it would be legedly had
charges re- arrogance. I don’t know as we stand sex after driv-
lated to al- here today that you truly appreciate the ing him to a
leged harm that you caused. I honestly be- motel. Police
sexual con- lieve, Ms. Ragusa, that you are a sexual claim they
tact with a predator. And I honestly believe that you have video-
13-year-old are a danger to children in our commu- tape evidence
boy. Ac- nity.” of the two at
cording to the Capri Lyn-
the boy, Summer Michelle Hansen, 31: Spe- brook Motor Inn. She pleaded guilty in
Harris cial-education teacher at Centennial June 2012 to having sex with the minor
began tex- High School in Corona, Calif., was at the motel, a 15-minute drive from the
ting him in June, asking him to have sex charged Aug. 13, 2013, with having sex school. But earlier, she brazenly had
with her. She is accused of having had with five stu- sex with two other students at the
sex with the teen in her home several dents and school, where her serial shenanigans
times and exchanging photographs of sending the were uncovered by girlfriends of the
the pair’s genitals by cell phone. The boys sexual teacher’s pets, an investigative report
boy reported the incidents to police in text messages by schools investigator Richard Condon
mid-August, sparking the investigation. and nude pho- charges. The New York Post reports
tographs of that Driscoll called one boy to her office,
Stephanie Ragusa, 28: Math teacher herself. locked the door and put a chair against
at Martinez Middle School in Lutz, Fla., Hansen faces the knob to secure it. They lay on the
was arrested March 13, 2008, accused 16 felony floor behind her desk, where she per-
of having sex with a 14-year-old boy. counts and formed oral sex before they had inter-
She reportedly met the boy on campus could receive course, the boy told investigators.
while working as a special education up to 13 years
teacher at Davidsen Middle School the in prison if convicted. Court documents Traci Tapp, 28: Gym teacher at Ham-
previous show Hansen was suspected of engag- monton High
schoolyear. ing in sexual intercourse and oral sex School in New
Ragusa al- with the boys on campus and at one Jersey accused
legedly had victim’s home as far back as May 2012. of sexual contact
sex with All five boys were students at the with three male
the student school, but none was a student of students, includ-
twice in her Hansen. One student,17, told detec- ing having sex in
car and tives Hansen had been exchanging her home multiple
once in her sexual text messages with him, some times in one night
apartment attached to revealing and nude photo- with a 16-year-old. In January 2006,
between graphs. The teacher allegedly said she she avoided any jail or probation time
October 2006 and May 2007. An arrest wanted to give him a “prize” for doing by admitting inappropriate touching, but
affidavit from investigators says the vic- well in a baseball game. She kept him she lost her teaching license.
tim’s story was verified by his knowl- after class in Saturday school and, after
edge of tattoos of a flower and an insect all of the other students had left, began
on Ragusa that are visible only if she is kissing him, and engaged in sex acts,
undressed. She was arrested a second the boy claimed. Hansen, through her
time on April 15, 2008, for sex with an- attorney, has denied the allegations.
other boy, and then while free on bail,
was arrested a third time on April 28 for Tara Driscoll, 33: The English teacher
allegedly having sex yet again with one at Campus Magnet High School in the
of her previous victims. On June 28, Cambria Heights section of New York
2010, she was sentenced to 10 years City was arrested Aug. 5, 2011, and
prison by Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe, charged with raping a 16-year-old male

18

He even noted that the girl couldn't "tell
anybody" and informed them that he
didn't have any condoms.

Shelley Dufresne and Rachel Re- Phillips found herself behind bars when Lindsay Massaro Sussex County ele-
spess assaulted their victim together it was revealed that she had convinced mentary school teacher Lindsay Mass-
Louisiana teachers Shelley Dufresne her 12-year-old daughter's boyfriend, saro, 26,
and Rachel Respess sparked a three- who is 15, to engage in sexual conduct was ac-
some with a 16-year-old student after a with her. It was reported that she called cused of
football game. Incidentally, Dufresne is him a "hot kid" and said things like "I having
the daughter of an area judge, calling wish you were mine." sex with
her relatively light sentencing, which in- a 15-
cludes house arrest, into question. Symone Greene was a substitute year-old
teacher for just one day before getting boy in
Matthew Shane Wester married the into trouble 22-year-old Symone Green her car
underage girl he was accused of having was hired as a substitute teacher for and bed-
sex with just one day in a Washington, D.C., high room
Matthew school. It only took her hours before she after the
Shane began sending explicit text messages victim’s father reported it to the author-
Wester, a to a 17-year-old student, whom she ities. The 8th grade teacher claims the
37-year- later performed a sex act on. relationship was consensual and now
old Ala- faces parole supervision for life
bama Quinton Wright set up a sex closet for
teacher, his 14-year-old student This one is a bit Jason Gorski, 43, surrendered to
was ar- different. Math teacher Quinton Wright Buena Park police on June 21, 2016
rested for didn't actually engage in sexual activity and was booked on suspicion of sex
having with a student, but he did knowingly set crimes with a child under 14 and contin-
sexual relations with a female student up an area for 14-year-old students to uous sexual abuse of a child, according
nearly half his age. That's not where the have sex with one another. to Sgt. Mike Lovchik. Gorski worked as
story ends. He married her! Wester and the boy’s school teacher (Long Beach
18-year-old Amy Nicole Fox have offi- School District) and as an elder within
cially tied the knot. their Jehovah’s Witness church congre-
gation in Cypress, police said.
Heather Phillips manipulated her 12-
year-old
daughter's
boyfriend into
sexual rela-
tions 40-
year-old
preschool
teacher
Heather

land Avenue Elementary in Bexley. 19
Jeremy Eusea, 30-year-old man was
arrested on allegations of a sexual re- year old student. Police found them en-
lationship with a student at Hahnvill gaged in a sexual act in his parked car.

Alan Wade Coleman, 45, a teacher High School. The St. Charles Parish Greg Vaughn, a social studies teacher
who worked in several schools in Wash- Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that at Hagerty High School in Oviedo,
ington D.C. and Florida is accused of Jeremy Eusea of Paradis was arrested Florida was arrested by the FBI on alle-
having a sexual relationship with a stu- on charges of sexual battery and pro- gations of enticing a teen to engage in
dent beginning when she was 14 years hibited sexual conduct between an ed- sexual con-
old. At the time he was working as a ucator and a student. It started with duct and
teacher at and tennis coach at Eastside inappropriate text messages with a 17- production
High School in Gainesville, Florida. He year old female. of child
is accused of having a five year sexual James Smith, a Rockwall ISD teacher pornogra-
relationship with the student. has been charged with sexual assault. phy. Ac-
cording to
Farley Ashford Simon, 60, — who has He was a teacher and coach at the the FBI a
worked as a JROTC instructor in Irving Utley Middle School, Texas. woman in
ISD Michael Sweeney, teacher at the Walt Colorado
( Te x a s ) Whitman Middle School in Alexandria, discovered
since that her
2014 — Va., was arrested and charged with daughter was having a sexual conver-
was ar- having a sexual relationship with a 16- sation with Vaughn on a website called
rested on Deviantart. The mother also found
charges of emails containing nude photos of her
improper daughter and Vaughn. When ques-
relation- tioned by the FBI, Vaughn said he was
ship be- trying to help the girl and that the sexual
tween an nature was a role-playing therapy to
educator and student. He is accused of make her feel better. He also set up a
having sex with a 17 year old student at “pay chart” where the girl would get
a motel and park. The girl’s mother re- candy, books, clothing, panties and
ported the relationship to the school and make-up based on the type of photos
police. Investigators found text mes- sent to him. Vaughn is now divorced
sages and photos on the girl’s phone of and has two teen daughters.
the two having sex.
Randy Hull, 43, South Toms River,
F. Leon Wilson, 62, of Columbus, is
charged with three New Jersey was a groundskeeper for
counts of gross sex-
ual imposition the Long Branch Public Schools. He
against a 4-year-old
at Prep Academy in was arrested in August 2016 and
Lewis Center and a
7-year-old at Mary- charged with possession and distribu-

tion of child

pornography in a

massive state

wide sting which

law enforcement

authorities called

“Operation

Statewide” which

resulted in 40 in-

dividuals ar-

rested and

accused of child pornography. The dis-

tribution charge is serious as he is ac-

cused of circulating sexual explicit

photos of children on internet file shar-

ing networks.

20

In 2014, New Jersey required all school
districts to adopt policies on social
media contact between teachers and
students.

The New Jersey School Boards Asso-
ciatio’s model policy bans teachers from
friending students on social media with-
out written approval of their principal. It
also says electronic contact with stu-
dents should be done only through dis-
trict computers and phones.

While social media can be an important
tool for learning, reasonable restrictions
must be put in place to protect children.
If a teacher or coach wants to send an
electronic communication to a student,
it should be copied to a parent. Private
messages with children should never
be allowed.