Bargaining with Devils

RANT OF THE DAY

If your child is sexually abused by a teacher, you can be sure he'll be in a better position than any other man or woman accused of the crime. That's because the near impossibility of firing teachers gives them a bargaining chip - their teaching licenses.

The very people who prosecute teachers who sexually abuse students also work for the state that licenses those teachers. Since revoking a license is long, brutish and costly, the volunteer surrender of the license means time and money saved. For the victim, it's another victimization.

Shawn Feeney was sentenced to four years for sex with two female students. He pleaded to two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and a single count of official misconduct. As part of his plea agreement, Feeney surrendered his teaching license. (New Jersey)

As part of a plea agreement, Scott Fazekas agreed to resign from his teaching position, surrender his state teaching license and register as a sex offender for sexual contact with a 16-year-old female student. He has yet to be sentenced. (Ohio)

Mark Taylor got a really hard slap of 60 days in jail for "intimidating his fiance," was released immediately for time served and ordered to leave Houston county. The agreement included a stipulation that Taylor would drop his appeal of his termination from the Houston County school system, the prosecutor said. Charges of stalking, simple battery, making harassing phone calls and false imprisonment were dismissed (Georgia)

A Michigan assistant principal, James Lighthizer, was sentenced to one year in the county jail -- not prison -- five years' probation and must register with the Sex Offender Registry, for sexually abusing a 15-year-old male student. The District attorney bragged. "He will surrender his teaching certificate," [District Attorney Bill] Whitesell said. "I have it in my possession." (Michigan)

See our rant about Lance Diefenderfer's sentencing. LINK
As a condition of the plea agreement, Diefenderfer’s teaching license was permanently revoked last week. One year home confinement, three years' probation for sex with an 11th grade student. (South Carolina)

Trenton, New Jersey teacher Slyvester Jones was allowed to enter Pretrial Intervention Program in lieu of a guilty plea. This, for sex with a student that started when she was 16-years-old. He is required "to never teach or coach again and surrender his New Jersey teaching license." He's 56-years-old.

Adam Albrecht was sentenced to one year in jail - not prison - for sex with a student. He pleaded no contest to one felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, one felony count of oral copulation with a minor, and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, for providing the girl with alcohol and marijuana. The judge confirmed that Albrecht has requested to have his teaching credentials permanently revoked."I am certain you will not teach again," Grandsaert offered, to which Albrecht nodded in agreement. The fact that he resigned his teaching position was also in his favor.