While I understand that the transgressions of public figures will always be bigger news than those of private citizens, I think this is a more frightening story than the Mark Foley controversy.
While I understand that the transgressions of public figures will always be bigger news than those of private citizens, I think this is a more frightening story than the Mark Foley controversy.
14 Comments
by Alia
Wow.
They do bring up an interesting point about the double standard, though. I suspect that a lot of the Foley furor is based in the fact that he, a man, went after boys.
If this teacher had been caught feeling up little girls, I’m going to guess that the response would’ve been less bland.
It’s the whole “insertion theory” of (statutory) rape.
by Tiffany
I think one of the ramifications of women being considered the ‘weaker sex’ is that we are all too reluctant to label female sexual predators for what they are. Clearly this woman took advantage of her position to prey upon young boys for years and years. If this had been a man having babies with his students, he would have gone to jail. He certainly wouldn’t have had a great retirement package and glowing send-off from his colleagues. I think it’s time to really look at this double standard we have when it comes it to this kind of situation.
by Stephanie
Oh, Bayonne. As a lifelong Jersey resident, I can honestly say I hate the place. My father and his siblings grew up there and attended Bayonne High School. My grandmother still lives there, residing on the same street as the teacher named in the article. I thought it was interesting that the piece named all of the various ethnic groups in town, without making mention of the black folks who live there. But then again it’s indicative of the way that the town is run. You are right to be outraged, as am I. Not just by the actions of this woman who has some deep-rooted psychological issues, but by the inaction of anyone who was in a position to do anything about it. While I don’t think anyone would argue that there’s a definite reluctance to see teenage boys as victim’s of sexual assault, particularly by women, in this instance, in this town, I’ve no doubt that this was purely about her father’s political connections and people’s perceptions about what this would do to the town’s “image”. Anyone who knows anything about Bayonne, already knows that it’s a pit. My grandmother’s the only thing good it’s got going for it.
by Mike Gibbons
Reading that article makes me fear for the safety of my nieces and nephew. Knowing that two of them are entering their teenage years, it scares the hell out of me that this stuff still goes on. I just hope they’re smart enough not to get involved in something like this.
by Ben
Fine, I’ll say it. Who cares?
These boys weren’t raped. Nothing was done to them against their will.
The double standard that exists in cases like this exists for a reason. A 14 year old boy mostly wants ass, while a 14 year old girl mostly wants to go shopping. Yes, that’s a broad generalization. But it’s all about human nature. That’s why you have to look at cases like this one at a time.
What this woman did is fine by me, as are all the other cases where a teenage boy was all about taggin’ his teacher. If a boy’s old enough to be tried as an adult for murder (13+), he’s old enough to get a piece of ass. I don’t think the law can afford a real double standard like that.
The only thing this woman did that was wrong is to use her professional influence to assist in her personal life.
by Stephanie
Also take into account that the Teachers Union is one of the strongest if not the strongest unions in the country. It is like pulling teeth trying to fire a teacher, especially if they have been teaching forever. There is so much red tape they have to go thru to get rid of a teacher, unfortunately, it was more convenient for them to keep her than try to get rid of her.
by ladyB
While acknowledging that this situation is clearly rediculous (and also that i’m being a bit of a jerk here), i have to raise the issue that is similar throughout most of the stories involving young boys – that is, that as young boys (men in training?) they should not be taken advantage of. When they are, they should remain relatively quiet about it.
After all, there is nothing masculine about statutory rape (or watching another man masturbate via webcam), is there?
In adition to being outraged by the behavior of West (and Foley), I think we should also at least address the reality that boys are reluctant to speak up about the sex-based injustices they experience.
Do not get me wrong – I am by no means blaming the victim! I do, however, think that a part of catching and punishing such offenders involves educating potential victims (read: children in general) that it is okay to speak up when strange things happen.
by Rex
It’s amazing how much this stuff has gone on over the years. Even my little high school had these issues back in the 70s/80s and “nuthin” was done about it. Only recently in the mid-90s did it become an issue across the nation. Probably should have been an issue, but that was the way things were back in the day. Also, when it’s your coaches doing the deed, and your highschool is a frequent state champion in various sports, especially football, it tends to get overlooked.
The acceptance of teacher/student relationships went the way of the acceptance of corporal punishment in schools–it ain’t accepted anymore. My friends trip when I tell ’em that I got a paddling in school every single year of my school career. And I was one of the “good” kids! Our teachers used to drill holes in the paddle to make it sting more… OUCH !!! It still stings… The paddle was called, “the board of education.”
by Rachel
ladyB,
I think that it is fair to say that all sexual assault/molestation victims have a hard time speaking out. I’m not convinced that males who are assaulted have any greater time revealing it than females.
On another note, I also think that it is frustrating that these cases of female teachers are getting so much attention, yet when male teachers do this to girls, people act like nothing happened. It’s old news that gets relagated to the back page. Even if the number of male teachers exploiting female students is equal to that of female teachers exploiting males (which it probably isn’t), the rates of men sexually assaulting/molesting younger girls would be higher because there are so few male teachers at the secondary level.
by Rachel
I forgot to add one more point…If that lady doesn’t fit the sexual predator definition then who does??
by eauhellzgnaw
I think Ben represents the view of the average male.
It’s true that there is a common belief that females always have to be manipulated into having sex, while males (after puberty) cannot be manipulated into having sex, unless it’s with a man.
Though no one openly acknowledges it, our society also accepts the following argument forwarded by a small number of radical feminists: that the act of a male penetrating a female is inherently a violent act of power over the female. That they associate sex with the degradation of women, rather than Freudian sexual tension, explains why men are so weird about their female loved ones having sex with men.
So, it doesn’t matter that the boys sleeping with their teachers are teens. In our society the boys are the in the position of power, which is why, upon learning of these cases, most men applaud and envy the boys, sexualize the teacher, and shrug off the incident, while pointing out the legal double standard.
by williethepimp
I think it’s funny that people let the prominent NJ Italian businessman father in waste-carting and construction bit slide. It’s clear which sphere of influence that sterotype of a man holds (straight out of t.v. and the movies).
by Jarrett
I’m more outraged that every where I look these days, children are getting it in better than a lot of the adults I know. Its a sick, sad world.
by Tommie Foster
I’m think there is a regional and racial bias about this situation. If this had happened with a black teacher(of either sex), or in the south or west; the there would have been a virulent, knee-jerk response instead of the tepid questionings of reporters in the regional section of the national “newspaper of record”. The fact of the matter is sex is not to be discussed in any form or fashion; unless it is being described as vulgar acts, committed by disgusting degenerates. It is not possible to have an open and frank discussion about the societial or psycological causes of pedophilia in both sexes without resorting to sensationalist tactics or having the instances of these acts being swept under the rug(Cathlotic Church are you listening!!!!). You said it Jarrett, it’s a sick, sad world.