The Janelle Bird case has a little of everything. Somewhat attractive 25 year old female. Pensacola Christian College grad (where physical contact, even holding hands, between the sexes is prohibited). Teenage boy with one thing on his mind (and it wasn’t FSU football).
Teacher teaches boy at local Christain school. Boy’s parents hire teacher as tutor. Boy scores. Both lose virginity. Affair ends after 3 months. Boy’s aunt turns teacher in after affair is over and teacher tries to make a new start. Teacher convicted, branded as sexual predator for the rest of her life….Sounds like Lifetime Sunday afternoon movie.
This is a tough one. Boy admits he was the aggressor. Adult female admittedly had few dating skills —PCC may be able to prevent sex and male-female social interaction for four years, but their grads have to live in the real world at some point. Teacher should have fought the boys advances – but is she a criminal?
We’re putting someone into an already crowded jail system who can be a productive citizen. We’re putting her in jail to satisfy our Law & Order bloodlust. Put an ankle monitor on her and let her serve her time doing community service.
There is a definite difference between Bird and the recently resigned Congressman Mark Foley, but if Foley is found to have sex with a minor, both Bird and Foley will be in the same Sexual Predator database.
PNJ articles: Judge must decide case with no easy answers , Affair puts ex-teacher behind bars
