Florida: The Pedophile Teacher State?
Posted by: Ami Angelowicz
Filed in:
news
6:45AM, Wednesday June 24th 2009
It seems like I keep seeing more and more news about teacher/student affairs…especially ones involving female teachers and their young male students. As a former high school teacher, this whole scenario never gets less despicable and disgusting to me. I know first hand how close you can become with your students and how much testosterone teenage boys have. It’s outrageous. Were there a few awkward moments when 17-year-old boys hit me on at school dances? Yes. But seriously, when you are a teacher, you are entrusted with a serious duty—the safety and well being of your students. Every fiber of a non-psycho teacher’s being knows that crossing sexual boundaries is the weirdest, wrongest possible scenario. But it’s still happening. Especially in the state of Florida. Huh?
A new Time article explores what seems to be an epidemic of incidences where female teachers bed male students in the Sunshine State. Why Florida? Their theory is weak…kind of waffling between blaming it on bikini culture and a lack of reporting in other places. My theories? (1) Humidity makes people crazy—the more humid it is, the more enticing it is to rip off clothing. (2) Florida’s the unofficial spring break state, where people go to get wild and crazy, and sometimes this effects people who live there all the time. (3) Um, the state is shaped like a penis. I’m kidding…mostly. But really there is no accurate way to quantify why Florida is a breeding ground (let’s hope not literally) for this disturbing trend. [Time]
Here is just a sampling of the female teacher/male student affair scandals in Florida. My head is hung in total shame for these women—for their unforgivably bad judgment and for their frizzy hair. (Damn humidity.)
- Caliente! Palm Beach Spanish teacher Natalie Fraxedas admitted to having sex with an 18-year-old student last June, but Fraxedas may get away scot-free. Florida does not have a law against educators having consensual sex with an adult student. Umm, why not!? The two started out in “tutoring” sessions, then began flirty texting, which soon became sex at her place. And then came the crazy—this teacher became extremely possessive of the student, exhibited insane favoritism in her class, and even wrote him a three-page love letter about how she will “wait till May 18,” his graduation date. Yeah, I don’t think she was allowed at the ceremony. [Palm Beach Post]
- Last October, Laura Pace, a teacher at Eustis High School in Lake County, was arrested for having sex with two 16-year-old students. The worst part: some students were not surprised when they found out. Pace is still employed by the school, but does not work in contact with students. [CFNews 13]
- Debra Lafave makes the Hall of Shame for teachers who’ve had sex with students. Lafave, a middle school teacher in Tampa, Florida, was arrested back in 2004 and accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student in her home and in her classroom. And in an SUV while the kid’s cousin drove? Seriously sick and twisted. What’s worse is that the charges were dropped in 2006. Lafave told reporters she was getting treatment for bipolar disease. How about don’t-have-sex-with-students treatment? [Buzzle]
- Cynthia Horvath got around. The Warner Christian Academy teacher was arrested last October for having sex multiple times in multiple places with a 17-year-old student. The fact that Horvath herself has a 17-year-old son is gross enough, but she and her boytoy took their show on the road getting it on in her car and sexing themselves silly in various parking lots, hotels, and even once under a bridge. [WFTV]
So what do you think? Is there something about Florida that promotes this inexcusable behavior?
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writergirl
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 07:02 am: [report]
I think Florida is the pedophile state, period.
We lived down there for a four month period and my husband took our son to the park while I ran errands one day. He said there were AT LEAST twenty pedophile posters posted in the park—all of whom lived within a two mile radius of the park!
Every story you hear of a child abducted seems to be mostly from Florida.
I have friends down there and I don’t know how they stomach living there with kids.
BeASimpleMan
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 07:14 am: [report]
Born & raised in the sunshine state, I have only the following to offer:
“Have you ever been to Florida…it’s basically a criminal population. It’s America’s Australia.”- Jack Donaghy
Emi
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 07:32 am: [report]
I wasn’t born here [in Florida], but I have lived here for the majority of my life. I was still in high school in 2004 when that whole ordeal with Debra Lafave happened.
If the humidity, bugs and hurricanes weren’t enough already.. another reason to hate this place. Hoooo!
Anniekins
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 07:41 am: [report]
This sickens me. I teach in Florida, and I’m soooo tired of seeing the headlines. I teach because I genuinely love working with kids; I love those moments when succeed at something that was difficult for them. I love that every year, I get a note from a parent that says, “My child used to hate coming to school, and now they don’t want to miss a day. Thank you.” The children think of me as a trusted adviser and friend, and that’s special.
I HATE the fact that someone would take the teacher/student relationship and soil it.
I Go To 11
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 07:59 am: [report]
I think these incidents get more high-profile press attention than any other state, which is why it appears this behavior’s running rampant in Florida. Or maybe it really is happening more often there and I’m off base. It’s hard to say.
I remember hearing from my English teacher senior year (I went to high school in NY state) that she’d overhear conversations from male teachers about which female students they thought were hot; it was rumored that one of the gym teachers had his “senior screw” every year (he’d pick one girl, bang her and then she’d be his assistant for stuff throughout the year), but I don’t know if there’s any validity to that. However, about a year or two after I graduated, my 10th grade social studies teacher got busted for banging 2 of his 16-year-old students. He was one of the “cool” teachers, too, so I was totally disgusted when that was all over our local news (especially considering he coached one of the girls’ sports teams at school-softball maybe? don’t remember-and he had a wife and 3 kids; according to the news, some of these trysts took place at his home when his family wasn’t there.) Needless to say, he was fired and placed on the sex offender registry after that.
retro chic
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 09:15 am: [report]
I agree with “I Go To 11.” And, in the more moneyed states of NY, CA, etc, evasion from justice—let alone the high-profiling media—is easier.
Also, I know this is about public schools, but the Archdiocese across the country are the all-time winners in this one (The multi-billion-dollar settlements to families, particularly in MA and CA say so)—their priests are parochial teachers too.
But, Ami, the Florida swamp theory has its merits—maybe it’s a coastal thing—West and East—a friend of mine calls our coasts the “Bathtub Ring of the World’s Most Wanted.”
Tim
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 09:18 am: [report]
This is a microcosm of our society. No different in any other state in the union I believe. 18 year old male with a teacher—the only problem is the position of “authority” held by the teacher, otherwise it’d be perfectly legal (although I think morally questionable in anyone’s eyes).
16 year old. In our society where we applaud male’s having sex as a right of passage, I would not be surprised if a young man would jump at the chance to have sex with a female adult (teacher or otherwise). It is the teacher, and the adult, that must maintain the boundary. Many would tsk tsk such an event but secretly say well “boys will be boys” and chuckle inside.
14 years old. Same as above although 14 is obviously an age where consent cannot be legally given in this country. In most states 16 is the age of consent unless a participant is in a position of authority, as that of a teacher.
I have often wondered if the incident rate of these activities is any higher then when I was in high school? I heard the rumors of the teachers who had high school seniors or juniors as lovers.
I do know we bear part of the blame as a society by sexualizing our children in marketing, media and most TV shows and movies.
What I can’t answer is why society seems to have consciously moved from treating our children as precious innocents to be protected at all costs to objects of sexual gratification? When the hell did that happen or has it always been there hiding in the darkness?
What is tragic, as one commenter pointed out, is that this unique and special relationship of teacher/student can be soiled so quickly by such a small group of individuals.
In many schools they have “banned” student/teacher physical contact—no hugs, no slaps on the back, no affectionate touch of encouragement. In my own childhood, lacking such physical contact from my own parents, I would hate to think what it would have been like going through school without a hug every now and then—a basic human need to be part of the human race by physical touch.
http://www.nowpublic.com/va_middle_school_bans_touching
http://www.cassyfiano.com/2009/03/connecticut-school-bans-touching
sadie
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 09:20 am: [report]
I lived in FL in high school. I’ve never seen such a hellhole in my life. Whenever something creepy or #&@$% up happens, you can usually count on it happening in FL.
MissChaotic
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 09:27 am: [report]
Bipolar is not an excuse for pedophilia. Next they’re going to say its ok for you to rape someone if you have Depression. A mood disorder is just that; it doesn’t quite mess with your ability to make good or bad decisions like those…I know firsthand.
I Go To 11
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 09:37 am: [report]
@ MissChaotic: Right there with you (as I’m familiar firsthand, too.) What a bunch of crap, and I can’t believe she got away with that pathetic excuse.
sklut
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 10:25 am: [report]
I live in Florida. Heat Index = 115. You’d going F$%@ing nuts too. I’ve had an inappropriate relation with a teacher and now that I’ve since graduated it’s full on slappin’ ass hot sex, whatever he’s only a few years older than me. Florida is full of crazies and pedophiles. That’s life what can you do?
Erin G
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 10:30 am: [report]
I live in Florida and also went to high school here. I had a girlfriend in high school who was screwing the hot 11th grade math teacher, and then when she dumped him, she started dating the AP Psych teacher—and they’re now engaged today, 5 years later.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 10:37 am: [report]
I assume he was a pedophile looking back upon my time in Florida. I was playing outside, I was perhaps 7 or 8, and a man in a van (OMG stereotypes are true) asked me to “Help him find his dog”. I told him “No, I don’t get in cars with strangers”, because I have always had a lot of sense. Dumbass Floridians.
</creepy>
I Go To 11
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 10:43 am: [report]
An ex-boyfriend of mine in Ohio had his sister hook up with a teacher of hers from high school…this was well after she graduated, but aside from the previous student/teacher thing, what made it a scandal in a small town was a) he was about 30 years older than her and b) he left his wife and kids for her. They got married shortly after his divorce, and I think they’re still married today (I haven’t spoken to said ex in almost 4 years, nor do I care to lol.)
bogart4017
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 12:55 pm: [report]
What the hell can a grown woman get from a 14 year old?
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 12:59 pm: [report]
@bogart4017: Allowance money?
writergirl
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 01:03 pm: [report]
@Bogart4017—the same question applies to men who violate 14 year old girls.
LucyInTheSky
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 01:06 pm: [report]
I’m a high school teacher, and I really don’t get it. 17 year old boys act JUST LIKE you’d think they would… they are immature, goofy, and awkward. I’m 27 and the thought of doing it with any of my students, BEYOND the obvious moral obligation to maintain teacher/student authority, icks me out for real. They are not men- they are boys.
Kay Kay
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 01:17 pm: [report]
As a teacher in Florida, I feel like I need to speak up and say that this is utter bologna. Not all teachers sleep with their students, and it’s ridiculous to let those that do ruin the reputation of those of us that don’t.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 01:24 pm: [report]
@Kay Kay: I certainly hope you don’t think that just because these incidents happened in Florida it means your state is all deviants…
jojo32
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 01:33 pm: [report]
I had a total crush on the ‘student teacher’ when I was a Junior in high school. I so would have done it if I thought he was interested. LOL He couldnt have been more than 5 or 6 years older than me…right? Hehe
writergirl
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 01:38 pm: [report]
@jojo—we’ve all been there. I had two of the hottest gym teachers when I was in school. I went to Catholic School and I swear Mother Superior hired them to give herself some eyecandy and to encourage us girls to actually do something in gym.
The two of them were good boys—and not much older than us. They never did anything with a student. However….the day after graduation, it was open season.
I was so freaking bummed when we moved my junior year.
Karmatir
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 01:45 pm: [report]
I went to high school with someone rumored to be having sex/relationship with a teacher our junior & senior years; they are now married with kids so it must be true to some extent. Never did figure out what to think about any of it.
Alexa
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 03:17 pm: [report]
Will you (all of you) *please* stop using the word “pedophile” incorrectly. Pedophiles are sexually attracted to ***pre-pubescent* children, not teenagers. There’s another word for those attracted to teens (Ephebophile). Use of the word to describe these people does an injustice to those who are actually harmed by pedophiles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophile
tattooed_redhead
wrote on June 24 2009 @ 07:03 pm: [report]
When wacky Letourneau hit the news, I remember walking around the halls at my school, looking at my 13 yr old male students thinking WTF was she thinking???? But I read a very interesting article once by a psychologist talking about female teachers who wind up in sexual relationships with students. Essentially, they’re emotionally stunted and still think that they’re in high school themselves. Whatever boy they hit on is either making them feel like homecoming queen again, or making them feel like the popular girl they never were. Either way, these women need help!