Those demanding sex education be taught in schools may be getting more than they argued. Inappropriate teacher conduct has hit Nebraska hard. Fernando Rodriguez, a 13-year-old boy and Kelsey Peterson, a 25 year old female middle school teacher are believed to be on the lamb running from Nebraska police. The pair disappeared after an investigating had been initiated as to whether the pair had an intimate relationship. (While hundreds of teenage boys across the country may be cheering them on, it remains a crime.)
Sixth grade teacher Kelsey Peterson is suppose to be teaching math and coaching basketball. However, she was placed on administrative leave from Lexington Middle School pending the results of the investigation. Now, a judge has issued an arrest warrant charging her with kidnapping, child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. They are thought to be traveling together in Peterson's car. "We're still focused on locating both of them, whether they're together or not," Dawson County Attorney Elizabeth Waterman said.
Apparently, several e-mails and letters document the mutual affection between Peterson and Rodriguez. Rodriguez apparently refers to Peterson as his "Baby Gurl" and explaining that their relationship was "just not about the sex but that it was pretty good," according to pleadings.
The boy's aunt, Laura Rodriguez, apparently told an AM station in Lexington, Nebraska that the family thinks Peterson gave the boy a cell phone so she could reach him more easily. Rodriguez apparently contacted his family over the weekend and said the two were in Grand Island, about 85 miles east of Lexington. Police indicate the couple may have been spotted Friday night at a Denver convenience store and Sunday in Ogallala. They will be caught. After all how hard should it be to spot this odd couple, the one where the teen age boy has a huge grin on his face?
In Paris, Illinois, there is a report of a 25 year old teacher having sex with a 17 year old female student. There are just so many cases in the media that one must conclude that this has become a common problem that needs to be addressed. While home school may be a knee jerk reaction, better solutions need to be found. In the mean time, one must ponder when will these inapropriate student-teacher relationships stop?
Update 11-4 Busted in Mexico: As Legal Pub scooped, teenage boys talk about things like this! Calls from the teen, including to his aunt, provided a trail to Mexico where Kelsey Peterson was arrested in Mexicali in a mall parking lot. The teenager returned to his family.
Update 11-12: The 13-year-old "victim" was an illegal immigrant. He could be eligible to return to the United States with a new visa pursuant to a new law designed to protect victims of sex crimes who testify against their perpetrator. The visa would allow the boy and his family to stay in the U.S. for four years and then make them eligible for permanent residency in the U.S. Teacher Kelsey Peterson is charged with "child abuse" and "kidnapping." Peterson remains in federal custody in El Centro, California without bail. She will likely be returned to Nebraska to face federal charges of crossing state lines to have sex with a minor (punishable by 10 years to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.) The boy is apparently willing to testify (perhaps in hopes of securing the visa for he and his family. ) Regardless of promises, the teenager should tell the truth and if a crime was committed then appropriate punishment should be administered!
11-13 Update: Attorney James Martin Davis said that kidnapping charges against Kelsey should be dropped because he went with her willingly. "It's my understanding he was grooming her and she wasn't grooming him.... I see true victims every day. This young man is no victim," Davis said. Davis also suggested that the boy may be 16 or older! He shaves and has a mustache. Davis will seek his Mexican birth certificate.
9-30-08 Update: Kelsey was sentenced to 13 years in prison!
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44 comments:
With boys, I get it. Sex is sex. The young boy is just thrilled to experience it. But how desperate and how sick must a woman teacher be to have sex with a child?
It blows the imagination.
Shell
I have a feeling Shell, that it involves not just blowing the mind...
If we would have had teacher that took such interest in their students back when I was in Junior High, I would have missed fewer classes and paid attention a little more. Heck, I probably would have volunteered for summer school.
Truth is,I am not offended by older females teaching teenage boys a thing or two. Now call be sexist, but I would have a different view if it were a male teacher and a female student. Just the way I see it...
Surfer Dude
I'm very concerned. These teachers are gaining on the priests. They need to step it up or they may actually fall behind! Perhaps they can throw an emergency be-an-altar-boy party at Chucky Cheese. Better yet, is there a way we can get these priests and teachers together and leave the kids out of it all together? Perhaps a dating website just for the two? The slogan could be "Bringing perverted teachers and priests together." Any ideas on what the name should be?
Ian, that is a funny but a great idea. Throw in your book, God is a Woman as a perk when they join the website. We can keep the kids safe while we match up priests and teachers!
James K.
Sickos!
Nah, if you think about it, teachers just gravitate towards youths as it substantially increases their dating pool
The kid with the smile is probably bragging to all his friends. It won't be long before they are caught.
Duke
i THINK YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE KID!
Update 11-4 Busted in Mexico: As Legal Pub scooped, teenage boys talk about things like this! Calls from the teen, including to his aunt, provided a trail to Mexico where Kelsey Peterson was arrested and the teenager returned to his family.
I understand how men may feel the way you do, Surfer Dude. Yes, there is a difference between a male teacher with a female student and a female teacher with a male student. How about a female teacher with a female student, or a male teacher with a male student? If this were your child, I think you would think differently. It is inherently wrong to "take advantage" of a minor. Yes, he may think he's a man - but he's really a child. Parents should be able to trust the teachers they entrust their children to. I know I'm sounding too serious this morning - but this kid will suffer consequences for the actions by a sick adult.
I don't think it was an APPROVED class trip. These things scare me.
Ms. C, guilty as charged. For me it is sick pedophile behavior in all your examples except for the female teacher - male student scenario. Part of my bias is coming from real life experience. As a teen ager, I was anxious to be with any girl or woman. I mean any. Many of my buddies used a profesional for their first time. Why a teacher, what could be more educational?
The other reason is that many of these so called male victims go on to marry or have children with their "teacher." I have yet to see one in the news say, "Yeah, she took advantage of me and the experience really messed me up."
Yup, in my view it is double standards. But the truth is, as a pimple face teen you will take your first any way you can get her and be a better man for it. At least that is my view...
Surfer Dude
From a teacher's point of view, any combination of adult/child relationship is just sick. If you are in a position of leadership, then you should not take advantage of it; especially when it comes to children. It gives teachers a bad name, and I agree that parents should be able to trust teachers to teach education - not hands on sex education.
Now that last post is obviously by a cold woman who is a teacher. Now I suspect there are two kinds of teachers, the "hands on" teachers who are probably at risk to have affairs with their students and the "cold hands off teachers" that are not at risk of having sex with any students or even their husbands for that matter.
Bob L.
Despite a song to the contrary, guess what goes down in Mexico does not stay in Mexico!
Jill
Wow, that song "one more tequilla they were falling in love... one is never enough... don't bite off more than you can chew, there are things down there even the Devil wouldn't do, ... but remember what happens in Mexico stays in Mexico....
She was a first grade teacher from Phoenix Arizona...
The whole song is now running through my head with new meaning because of Kelsey Peterson!
Rhonda
Wonder if Kelsey went for a "dirty swim" with her young student? Maybe she was just teaching him red cross approved life saving?
Come on it is love. Only 12 years difference in age. That is not that much when you think in terms of 64 and 52...
I second the comment about the cold woman who posted she is a teacher. Come on, a guy, even a young teenage student, would pay to get action if he could. This teacher is not abusing him. She is educating him. She ought to be paid a bonus.
Todd
Bob and Todd, problem with your analysis is that you neglect to say that the teacher's conduct is illegal. In almost every state teacher conduct with a student of a sexual nature is a serious crime. The fact that women teachers are not punished as severely as male teachers is on course with the disparate treatment of women who murder their husbands, i.e. Mary Winkler. The law needs to change so that males and females are equally punished when they commit the same crimes.
That is sick. It is only 12 years difference, but when you are young that is an immense difference in age. It is disgusting and wrong. Now, there are some cases where maybe the child is lying. Therefore, I say nothing more.
B.K.
I agree 100% with B.K.
while it is possible that the kid is lying, I think it is sick!
Linda
Todd and Bob, you obviously don't have any daughters. What if a male teacher had this type of relationship with YOUR daughter? Would you feel the same way? I can only say that I'm glad you are not my child's teacher!!!!
JF
J.F., I can only speak for my self, but boys and girls are different. I want my son to be an experienced with the ladies as a teen ager so he knows how to please his wife when he is married. Girls are different. Only the boy needs to have experience. It is his job to show his fiance or even better his wife on their wedding day.
My first was with a hooker, a pro. Without that experience as a teen, my honey moon would have been a complete disaster.
Life is different for boys and girls. they have different roles. As a prude (I mean teacher), even you should know that.
Todd
Update 11-12: The 13-year-old "victim" was an illegal immigrant. He could be eligible to return to the United States with a new visa pursuant to a new law designed to protect victims of sex crimes who testify against their perpetrator. The visa would allow the boy and his family to stay in the U.S. for four years and then make them eligible for permanent residency in the U.S. Teacher Kelsey Peterson is charged with "child abuse" and "kidnapping." Peterson remains in federal custody in El Centro, California without bail. She will likely be returned to Nebraska to face federal charges of crossing state lines to have sex with a minor (punishable by 10 years to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.) The boy is apparently willing to testify (perhaps in hopes of securing the visa for he and his family. ) Regardless of promises, the teenager should tell the truth and if a crime was committed then appropriate punishment should be administered!
I have to add this comment. But I must. Did any one ever consider the value of this "education" the boy may have received in terms of dollars and sense?
It apparently saved him from learning from a pro like Todd (cost $150). In addition, by testifying, he gets a 4 year visa for his family and his self
(worth at least $5,000 each on the black market) and eligibility for permanent residency (Worth $20,000 each on black market.)
Now I am not an advocate of child abuse. And if it was true abuse the kid can also sue Kelsey Peterson for monetary damages for emotional distress etc. But if it was some type of wharped "love" like some of the other teen age/ teacher relationships that later result in marriage, I question the appropriateness of such strong financial incentives for this young man to be a witness against his teacher.
Dollar Bill
11-13 Update: Attorney James Martin Davis said that kidnapping charges against Kelsey should be dropped because he went with her willingly. "It's my understanding he was grooming her and she wasn't grooming him.... I see true victims every day. This young man is no victim," Davis said. Davis also suggested that the boy may be 16 or older! He shaves and has a mustache. Davis will seek his Mexican birth certificate.
Maybe the kid is not just 16, maybe he is a 28 year old midget. LOL
No matter what the story, her actions were inappropriate.
The important thing is that Kelsey and the boy were found safe and unharmed.
Larry
Kind of gives new meaning to the sixth grade!
Sad that this is what school has come to. A Williamson County grand jury has indicted former Independence High School teacher Heather Thorsby on seven counts related to an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student.
Thorsby, 34, is charged with three counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and two counts of exploitation of a minor by electronic means. Prosecutors presented the case to a grand jury on Nov. 5.
Teacher publicity is mostly bad.
I wonder if Kelsey Peterson is related to Scott Peterson or Drew Peterson.
What is in a name?
Kelsey's name is not as creepy as her smile in the photo!
She is a predator in my opinion.
The problem with recent teacher graduates is that their focus has apparently shifted from mounting school debts to mounting students!
Jester
I TOTALLY agree with Surfer Dude!
As a 16 year old male (now 35) who had a 2 year SEXUAL relationship with a 27 year old female - I can truly say that I can relate to this story.
I do not feel that it ruined my life. I don't look back and feel all "Yucky" inside or "Damaged"... Actually, they were some pretty good times! (Did I mention that it was a SEXUAL relationship? =)
Granted, I speak on the side of my personal experience (older woman/younger man) - and I would have a different point of view if it was the other way around (older man/younger girl) - but that's because I am a MAN, and I know that even though I was the underaged one in the relationship - I was in control and was getting EXACTLY what I WANTED...
SEX!
(and LOTS OF IT! =)
So, do I think there should be a double standard?
Yes.
Of course!
You can't judge everything and everyone with a blanket policy - we have to deal with things on a case-by-case basis...
And in this case, it appears that BOTH were getting what they wanted.
Now excuse me while I go dig-up that old phone number and see if it still works...
Mr. Valentino
ps-
Did I mention it was a SEXUAL relationship?
It is so true. There exists a double standard. A twenty something teacher and a 16 year old boy is plain and simply a priceless education. Boys only become men with experience. It used to be boys got taken to a chicken ranch by their dads so they could learn the ways of men. Now days, if a boy does not have a good willing teacher, he has to learn about sex from girls and that my friend is no way to learn.
Bill
Kelsey apparently got something out of the relationship too by the smile on her face...
Ouch!
Kelsey probably didn't do anything that 50% of the other young single teachers haven't thought about...
Besides, maybe nothing happened!
Regardless of what may or may not have happened, Kelsey entered a plea agreement and agreed to jail time.
Kelse, what were you thinking?
K.P. shall ever be immortal in the eyes of those who feel she would never intentionally harm anyone.
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