“White engaged the girls in a “tasting game” in which he put flavored sauces on a banana and had the girls, blindfolded, lick it off the fruit. He admitted that watching that sexually aroused him.”
Is this the actual act? Or did he do more that wasn’t reported in order to protect the kids he assaulted?
If that’s the act; 48 years seems a lot. He needed to be dealt with but this seems overkill.
Families shun White's apology
By Edith Brady-Lunny
eblunny@pantagraph.com
URBANA -- Former teacher John White apologized at his sentencing hearing Friday for sexual misconduct involving girls at an Urbana elementary school, but the prosecutor and family members of the victims didn’t believe him. | Unit 5 letter of recommendation for Jon White (PDF) | White sentenced to 48 years in prison | Letter of recommendation reaction
And the judge who sentenced him to 48 years in prison said White wasted an opportunity to be a good influence on the children in his care.
“What this case is about is what a colossal waste this is because Mr. White decided that his physical urges took priority over the obligations he had,” Champaign County Judge Harry Clem said.
White, 27, pleaded guilty Feb. 20 to sexual abuse of eight girls at Thomas Paine Elementary School in Urbana and two girls at Colene Hoose Elementary School in Normal. He was sentenced Friday in the Ubana case and faces sentencing later this month in the other case.
Before Clem handed down his sentence, White, 27, read a lengthy apology to victims, their families, his family and officials and teachers in Unit 5 and the Urbana school district.
“I am ashamed of my actions and I am extremely remorseful,” said White.
White turned to face parents and his family as he read portions of the statement. He said he is sorry for the embarrassment his actions have caused both school districts.
He apologized to his wife and 23-month-old daughter, noting he will miss seeing her grow up.
Speaking directly to the victims’ families who filled one side of the courtroom, White said he realized the devastations his actions had caused them.
Six of the eight Urbana families read angry and emotional victim impact statements at the hearing.
One father recalled shaking hands with White at his daughter’s parent-teacher conference, saying he knows what it’s like to “hold the hand and stare in the face of evil.”
Several parents looked at White as they asked the judge to impose the maximum 56-year sentence.
White’s upbringing in a loving family who helped him complete an education to become a teacher was noted by the judge.
“He could have molded young minds for years into the future,” said Clem.
White’s conduct in a public school classroom defies logic, said the judge.
“The brazenness of this is practically beyond belief,” he said.
Members of the victims’ families in the courtroom hugged each other after the sentencing hearing. Rietz said the state was satisfied with the sentence.
“I agree he owed all those people that apology, but I’m not convinced as to his sincerity,” Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said of White’s statement.
http://pantagraph.com/articles/2008/04/05/news/doc47f6e535692df178961442.txt
Not that I have much empathy for the bugger, but what do you give someone who actually molests a child?
Operative word here is pleaded, normally a pervert cops a plea to the lesser charge. And statements made by his attorney are generally just so much garbage and have no real bearing on the facts of the case.