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.
Not just HELL NO, but sorry about that low-hormone thing.
Not guilty.
“23 is not too young to teach, these people are too stupid.”
I guess I’m just concerned because most 23-year-olds I currently know are just children themselves. Seriously, I cannot tell the difference between a 15-year old and a 25 year old without some ID. They listen to the same music wear the same clothes speak the same way, etc. I know that wasn’t always the case. My favorite teacher in school was 24, I think, (pretty much fresh out of school, anyway)but that was in the early ‘80s.
I’m afraid for a number of these young women, memories of high-school are far too fresh. They seem sill interested in acting like they are students instead of teachers.
Guilty!
Not enough evidence presented... I’d have to see a full body photo to render an honest verdict...
It's an exclusive club but I have connections, $100.00 and I think I can get you in. ;-D
The double standard for pedophiles places many children in danger.
I agree we need laws to keep order. But I do not see the moral turpitude that many do, in these type of cases, unless there have been other abuses perpetrated on the "victims."
If all there was involved were sexual initiations, it is my hope that she is able to get on with her life, settle down , find a mate, and live happily ever after.
Well, I guess we could put an age requirement on teaching. It would be just one more reason that no one wants to get into the business anymore.
These teachers need to be drummed out. I don’t care what anyone says....boys that age know right from wrong! They don’t deserve to wear victim status like a badge. (unless they were in fact raped, which I don’t believe was the case)
“Well, I guess we could put an age requirement on teaching.”
I know from my posts it must seem like that is what I was getting at but it’s not. You are right, that would likely severely limit the number of people who take up teaching. I DO think there should be some psychological screening or some kind of screening to filter out the juvenile minds who show up to teach and act less like adults than most of the students.
I had to get a security clearance to work on government computers. You would think some kind of screening might be in order for those who teach our children.
LOL!!!
LOL.
In a row?
No, I avoid fights.
You mean the teacher? Sounds like she took them serially.
Not wanting to lower yourself to making a low-down whore moan doesn't mean you've got a "low hormone thing."
“I think some sort of psychological mumbo-jumbo would be the last straw for me. They dont pay me anywhere near enough to put up with that sort of BS.”
Well, I can’t argue that. I wouldn’t do it either, to be perfectly honest. Maybe it just comes down to the person doing the job interviews to be a bit more selective. Heck, I don’t know. I just hate to see the current state of things. Maybe that’s just simply the way the world is today. That’s probably the real answer, one I don’t really want to accept.
ping
Low down ones, at that.
You kiss your mom with that mouth?
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