Posted on 09/06/2007 5:30:18 PM PDT by decimon
LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. -- A former Laurens County teacher pleaded guilty Thursday to having sex with at least five students.
Allenna Williams Ward, 23, a seventh-grade language arts teacher at Bell Middle School, had sex with several students in cars, parks, a hotel and at the school.
She pleaded guilty Thursday to six charges -- three second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and three lewd acts on a minor. Family members and her attorneys accompanied her as she made an emotional statement to the court.
She said, "Today, I publicly admit my guilt and would like to apologize. I sincerely apologize for the effects of my actions."
Clinton police said that Ward had sex with at least five boys: three 14-year-olds, and two 15-year-olds. The students were at Bell Middle and another school that was not named.
Ward was fired when the allegations were made public in March.
While awaiting trial, Ward has been required to wear a tracking device and she was allowed no contact with her alleged victims or their families. She has only been allowed to leave her home to go to church or visit her lawyer. She was not allowed to use a cell phone.
Ward's family was required to pay for the electronic monitoring device, including a $150 administrative fee plus a $70 a week fee.
Thursday, Jerry Peace, 8th Circuit Solicitor, said, "She was in a position of authority. She had the trust of the community to teach kids right and do what you need to do around children to let them grow to be responsible adults. She violated that trust."
Ward will be sentenced at a later date. She could face a sentence of up to 105 years in prison.
I’m saying guilty.
If that were a mugshot I would give her the benefit of the doubt... but that is a school shot. GUILTY!!!1
I think she is hiding the evidence. Open wide!
WTF? What is behind this epidemic?
A Plain Jane...bring back that teacher from Florida..what was her name????
Hmmm, need a pic from normal life to determine guilt. Mugshots could make Jessica Alba look questionable.....
These posts have to stop...I can’t stand hearing how lucky these little brats are!
Isn’t that Bruce Hornsby’s ex?
I don’t get it. She is not that bad looking. Surely she could have found men her own age or older. Jeeze....
You don’t need anything from the jury after she plead guilty.
Hormones?
As is ... I'd look at other models.
how many of the jury she sleeps with!
Large scan of above at my FR Homepage
“I sincerely apologize for the effects of my actions.”
This is hard to imagine.
In a nation of 300 million people, we hear about one or two of these a year. This is hardly an "epidemic." I'm not sure it even qualifies as a major problem. We have many laws that address this already, and it rarely happens.
It happnened again!
Quick....time to ban cupcakes...
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