General Chat

Wow indeed Andy! Can I ask if you have a son? Dan is to be commended for sticking to his morals,he has as much right as your good self. I have a son and grandsons and I can say that I would be disgusted if a teacher in authority took advantage with someone so young. Yes 14 is a difficult time when you're growing up,and those years are indeed when we experience 'life', I don't know anything about this lad or of his behavior problems, but lads can be easily led, and you say yourself ' you and your mates would have bragged about it' ? I have no problems with sex or the young,but will say,she should be ashamed of herself. Maureen

Sorry? I am a human being with opinons. That is enough justfication. I have a brother near that age, and a sister who one day will be. I care for them as I would my own son or daughter. I will say what I feel and I feel this teacher should be locked up. Thank God the Judge agreed. He has moral fibre.

How dare you! By the way I said I wasn't sure of his age. I do not have children. I have neices and nephews and wouldn't want it to happen to them. Are you saying because I don't have children I am not entitled to my opinion. You are putting him down for being young and having morals. Yet you resort to childish name calling. You had no argument to end. This was not an arguement merely a thread to voice opinions on a the subject of the teacher. Not for personal attacks.

Whatever age Daniel is, he is better mannered than you are Andy.

Surely the point here is that 14 year olds (boys AND girls) are not renowned for making wise judgments about anything - that is why we have laws to protect them. I might have felt slightly differently about this if the woman concerned had been a 49 year old neighbour, but she was a Teacher, who abused her position of trust and she deserves to be punished for that. I agree that 4 years seems excessive in relation to the other crimes mentioned, but that just shows what ridiculous laws we have in this country. OC

under age Sex,Is under age sex! She was an adult taking advantage of a child, if she were male she would be a peadophile!

David (Owen), Perhaps I have missed something, but I don,t think anyone has condoned the offence, certainly my only thought was that the punishment was overkill. It,s just my opinion that there is a small difference when its woman seducing a boy?(damage is not as severe as the other way round.) Re Dan,s point, there is absolutely no doubt that this woman has been named and shamed. Anymore nastiness and I will remove the thread - differences of opinion politely expressed are perfectly OK. Happy days

Andy Daniel may only be young but he is still entitled to his opinion and you do not have the right to attack him for it or call him names which in my opinion is childish. If anyone stops to think about it Daniel was only about 15/16 when this happened so can see it from a perspective many of us, even those with children, can't. As far as I'm concerned he is to be commended for his morals. My own opinion is that she deserves to be locked up. What she did was completely wrong. I'm speaking as the mother of a 13 year old son. In relation to the other offence mentioned the man should have got more ie life not the teacher getting less.

The thread is not nasty, it's only certain posts. Remove them we'll be fine.

funny you mention neighbours OC, I was wondering how to put this. An exboyfriend (long story!) often had sex with a neighbour - she was about 30, he was 14. He told the story like 'woohoo, it was grand' but I think it damaged him. He only ever seemed to value himself as a stud, never as a loving or caring person. I wonder if too early access to sex without learning how to care and love did him great harm. I think this woman was absolutely out of order, and worry for the boy's relationships in the future. :-(

Whatever our opinions the law does not allow under age sex. If convicted, the sentence is likely to increase in proportion to the age difference between the two, irrespective of whether it was consentual or not. I agree that the sentence here appears harsh, but that is not my call, it is the law laid down for this particular crime. When I was 14, which was 40 years ago, we fantasied something terrible, for just anything female, however it was B&Q for a few more years for most of us, by which time it was legal.

Harry I think you're being simplistic - the level of damage isn't as relevant to gender as it is to the state of a child's mind. Would you still feel there was less damage if it was a male teacher and a male child? Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't necessarily make a judgement about a sexual relationship between an adult and someone technically underage - a lot would depend on the adolescent and the circumstances. The difference here is that the adult was a teacher and I don't think that sentencing should be different for a female 49 year old teacher and a male 49 year old teacher.

Never heard that expression before Peter! Took a while for the penny to drop! lol Mau ;0)

I was the same Maureen. Was trying to come up with words begining with B & Q lol. Got there in the end.

I just dont see the difference, A child is a child, male or female! The boy was 14 at the time, we have laws for a reason, she broke the law and more importantly was in a position of trust,she broke that trust. You say its a male fantasy, I can understand that.girls have romantic Ideas about teachers too,its part of growing up and learning about your sexuality, but a real teacher should know when to draw the line,she didnt.

David, Don,t reply to this. Male teacher and a male pupil? Let,s just say I,m rather old fashioned. Happy days

Jen Yes, I agree with your remarks on balance, I just felt there was a SLIGHT difference between someone in a position of authority (Always wrong) and someone not.(Maybe not ALWAYS wrong?). I also agree that first sexual experiences often colour the rest of our lives and how we react to people. Probably those between youngsters of similar ages, who believe themselves to be in love, are the best, for setting up healthy attitudes. Where there is such a disparity in ages, I feel that one person coerced the other, even if the other didnt need much coercing! OC

Middle aged female teacher and a 14 year old boy? Let's just say I'm rather old fashioned too.

Thought there might be a difference, Harry.

Mau, code for the over 50's....lol