Victimized Twice

We don't exaggerate when we say victims are excoriated by other students when a teacher is arrested, especially when it is a popular teacher. No other victim of sexual abuse is given so little sympathy by students, as well as teachers and the public. Even a prostitute who is raped is automatically afforded more consideration.

Wisconsin
When a Wisconsin teacher was arrested for sending sexually explicit instant messages to the a 16-year-old student that included graphic descriptions of sexual activity and expressing a desire to engage in sex acts with the victim and another female, the student got the blame.

At the hearing, the recipient of the messages spoke emotionally about their effects. She said she was ostracized, lost her self-esteem and confidence, and suffered harassment from her fellow students.

"I lost my reputation," she said. "My brother stopped talking with me for months."

She blamed herself "for everything," she said. "Today, I'm passing that guilt back to him."

The teacher is 33 years-old. TT - entry

Arkansas
A newspaper wanted to know why a science teacher resigned two months into the school year. They repeatedly requested school district records, filed Freedom of Information requests that were ignored, contacted the state Attorney General and then the local prosecutor. They still hadn't gotten the records when they published their story.

One victim who told them about how she was treated by students, teachers and administrators after she came forward with her accusations.

School officials put her into a homebound program requiring her to complete her work at her house for the remainder of the semester. While she was in the homebound program, students had a walk-out to protest her returning to the district. During this time, students and teachers were involved in a fundraiser to raise legal funds for Rose to pay for his attorney.

When she returned to the school she had to leave classes five minutes early to avoid other students. She ate lunch in a school counselor's office because students were so hostile to her.

She and her mother begged the district to allow her to go to another school. They refused. Eventually they did move to another town where she completed school.

What the newspaper found out when they investigated was that the teacher had worked in five different districts. In four of them, students had officially complained about inappropriate conversations and actions. TT - entry