The word is that former middle school teacher Allenna Williams Ward will be sentenced on Feb. 19 for criminal sexual misconduct with underaged teenage boys.
Ward is a former language arts teacher at the Bell Street Middle School in Clinton, South Carolina. Her story hit the news last year when it was revealed that Ward had been charged with having sexual contact with 5 boys between the ages of 14 and 15, some of whom were her students.
In the ensuing months Ward maintained her innocence as many charges and counter-charges were hurled between various parties involved in the case.
Then, the shocker came when Ward pleaded guilty in a plea bargain arrangement and tearfully confessed to the crimes. She waived a jury trial as part of the plea bargain and threw herself on the mercy of the Judge in the case.
After months of basically no information being provided to the news media, word came that Ward would be sentenced on Feb. 19 at the Laurens County Courthouse, although this information has not been confirmed by the Circuit Solicitor's office.
Controvery continues to swirl around this case, however, as many still do not believe that Ward is guilty but rather believe that she confessed under duress to avoid a possible conviction that could potentially land her in prison for the rest of her life.
One such person, who shall remain anonymous, sent the following letter to The Liberty Sphere concerning this case. We will publish the letter, leaving it to the reader to determine whether or not the claims contained therein merit thorough consideration.
"I have just finished reading the comments in both blogs RACIAL OVERTONES PLAGUE ALLENNA WARD CASE and ALLENNA WILLIAMS WARD SAYS ‘NOT GUILTY’
"I also watched the news video of her tearful apology for what she had done.
"That said; I still do not believe Ms. Ward is guilty of sexual misconduct with those teenagers. It is perhaps easy for someone to say they would never take a “plea bargain” if innocent as one of the folks stated. But in light of the apparent racial angle, the reaction of the neighborhood, the sad tendency of presuming guilty until proven innocent, the strains of “house arrest”, being cut off from society as normal, fear of spending perhaps years incarcerated with hardened felons – that may cause one to change their mind. This young woman’s life is ruined already – guilty or innocent – because of the accusations. Even if found innocent in a court of law she would not be able to teach again, she would be considered guilty in the eyes of many despite being found innocent. Maybe a plea bargain would offer continued house arrest for a shorter period of time. How can anyone avow they would never admit guilt when innocent unless they were in the situation themselves? Did you HEAR that young woman’s apology in court on that video? It was a prepared statement READ through her tears. She is no more guilty than I am – and I know I’m not – maybe she is taking the “best” alternative in an attempt to avoid prison time and prolonged strain and heartache for her family. She sounded like someone admitting guilt in an attempt to accept the lesser of two evils, to get it over with.
"If she is guilty, and I stand by my belief she isn’t, she needs guidance and counseling as well as the boys. With the right counseling these boys can overcome and move beyond this if they were indeed victims.
"If she is innocent she has been tainted for life either way – by accepting a plea bargain or being found innocent by the court. I cannot comprehend that many teenage boys keeping something like that a “secret”, this is a sad, sad situation. And the boys….if they ruined an innocent woman’s life will they be punished or learn anything from it?"
What say you? Do you believe at this point in the process that Ward is truly guilty or did she confess to crimes she did not commit in order to avoid a life-sentence?
Showing posts with label female teachers in sex scandals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label female teachers in sex scandals. Show all posts
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Late-Breaking Update on Allenna Williams Ward
News has surfaced concerning the sentencing hearing for Allenna Williams Ward, the Clinton, South Carolina teacher who confessed to criminal sexual contact with at least 5 teenage boys.
For the complete story on the reason for the delay of sentencing, as well as a statement from State's Attorney Jerry Peace, click here:
http://carolinacountryside.blogspot.com/2008/01/late-breaking-allenna-williams-ward.html
For the complete story on the reason for the delay of sentencing, as well as a statement from State's Attorney Jerry Peace, click here:
http://carolinacountryside.blogspot.com/2008/01/late-breaking-allenna-williams-ward.html
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Yet Another Female Teacher Goes Sex-Wild
Leroy, Alabama (TLS). Washington County, Alabama law enforcement officials report the arrest of a 54-year-old female teacher, Charlene Schmitz, for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old student.
Schmitz, who teaches at Leroy High School in the small town of Leroy, Alabama, has been charged with rape and sodomy. Law enforcement officials state that the arrest was made after the mother of the 14-year-old boy presented to police dozens of sexually explicit emails that the teacher allegedly sent to her son.
Washington County Sheriff's officials state that Schmitz has been released from jail on a $40,000 bond, and is awaiting her first court hearing on July 24.
For more details of this breaking story, click here:
http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/0607/434666.html
Schmitz, who teaches at Leroy High School in the small town of Leroy, Alabama, has been charged with rape and sodomy. Law enforcement officials state that the arrest was made after the mother of the 14-year-old boy presented to police dozens of sexually explicit emails that the teacher allegedly sent to her son.
Washington County Sheriff's officials state that Schmitz has been released from jail on a $40,000 bond, and is awaiting her first court hearing on July 24.
For more details of this breaking story, click here:
http://www.abc3340.com/news/stories/0607/434666.html
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Teacher Sex Scandal Rocks Wisconsin Town
Prescott, Wisconsin (TLS). Prescott, Wisconsin is the scene for the latest in a series of shocking teacher sex scandals that have rocked the nation in recent days. This time, the story involves a 38-year-old Middle School teacher, a 13-year-old male student, the teacher's daughter, and the student's father.
The story begins with the teacher's daughter, who was dating the 13-year-old student implicated in the scandal. The story ends with the teacher allegedly having sex with the 13-year-old student.
The father of the student told police that his son stole his mother's car one evening. He then claims that he found his son at the residence of the teacher, 'having a middle of the night sexual rendezvous,' even while the teacher's husband and daughter were home at the time.
The boy's father then filed a restraining order, stating that his son and the teacher had sexual intercourse. He also reportedly provided copies of emails exchanged between the two.
While the local sheriff's department is conducting an investigation, the local school Superintendent stated that an internal investigation had already been conducted by school officials. He states that they have found no evidence linking the teacher in question with other students. He further states that the two 'did not meet in the classroom.'
The teacher has been fired and the investigation by the sheriff's department continues. No arrests have been made as of yet.
(Details of this story provided by news wire services)
The story begins with the teacher's daughter, who was dating the 13-year-old student implicated in the scandal. The story ends with the teacher allegedly having sex with the 13-year-old student.
The father of the student told police that his son stole his mother's car one evening. He then claims that he found his son at the residence of the teacher, 'having a middle of the night sexual rendezvous,' even while the teacher's husband and daughter were home at the time.
The boy's father then filed a restraining order, stating that his son and the teacher had sexual intercourse. He also reportedly provided copies of emails exchanged between the two.
While the local sheriff's department is conducting an investigation, the local school Superintendent stated that an internal investigation had already been conducted by school officials. He states that they have found no evidence linking the teacher in question with other students. He further states that the two 'did not meet in the classroom.'
The teacher has been fired and the investigation by the sheriff's department continues. No arrests have been made as of yet.
(Details of this story provided by news wire services)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
TEACHER OF THE YEAR CHARGED WITH SEX CRIMES
Goose Creek, SC (TLS). The town of Goose Creek, located in the 'low country' of the coastal plain of South Carolina, takes its turn being rocked to its core by a teacher sex scandal that was, to the say least, most unexpected.
The teacher involved was recently named 'Teacher of the Year' at the Westview Middle School in Goose Creek. She is also a Sunday School teacher.
Kanesa Hopkins, 31, is being held on $300,000 bail after being charged with five counts of having sex with a teenage student. The student who came forward, a female, had been a student of Hopkins previously and is a member of Hopkins' Sunday School class.
The sexual encounters allegedly took place at the residences of both Hopkins and the accuser.
Read the details of this shocking scandal here, from the Charleston Post and Courier:
http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/may/23/teacher_year_accused_having_sex_student/
The teacher involved was recently named 'Teacher of the Year' at the Westview Middle School in Goose Creek. She is also a Sunday School teacher.
Kanesa Hopkins, 31, is being held on $300,000 bail after being charged with five counts of having sex with a teenage student. The student who came forward, a female, had been a student of Hopkins previously and is a member of Hopkins' Sunday School class.
The sexual encounters allegedly took place at the residences of both Hopkins and the accuser.
Read the details of this shocking scandal here, from the Charleston Post and Courier:
http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/may/23/teacher_year_accused_having_sex_student/
Monday, May 07, 2007
N.C. Teacher Resigns in Same-Sex Scandal with Student
East Flat Rock, NC (TLS). The Henderson County, North Carolina town of East Flat Rock is the scene for the latest teacher sex scandal to hit the news wires. Julie Culbertson, who had taught at East Henderson High School in this N.C. mountain town, resigned her position after being charged with engaging in sexual activity with an under-age female student at the high school.
Henderson County law enforcement officials state that both the student and her parents are fully cooperating with their investigation.
Meanwhile, a group of students who support the popular Culbertson, staged a rally to urge school officials to rehire the teacher. School officials informed the students that the matter is entirely out of their hands, given that Culbertson resigned and is under investigation.
A court hearing for Culbertson's arraignment is scheduled for June.
The Liberty Sphere will provide updates as needed...
Henderson County law enforcement officials state that both the student and her parents are fully cooperating with their investigation.
Meanwhile, a group of students who support the popular Culbertson, staged a rally to urge school officials to rehire the teacher. School officials informed the students that the matter is entirely out of their hands, given that Culbertson resigned and is under investigation.
A court hearing for Culbertson's arraignment is scheduled for June.
The Liberty Sphere will provide updates as needed...
Monday, April 02, 2007
Breaking News on Cheerleader Sex Scandal
Ware Shoals, SC (TLS). Jane Blackwell, the principal of Ware Shoals High School accused of obstruction in the investigation of former cheerleader coach Jill Moore, will appear at a public hearing of the school board this Friday, April 6, 2007.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will take place in the Ware Shoals High School gymnasium.
Blackwell had requested the public meeting after the school board had offered to give her a hearing regarding her continued employment. The beleaguered principal chose a public hearing so that her side of the story can be told amid rumors that have run rampant in this small community.
This scandal revolves around former Ware Shoals High School cheerleading coach Jill Moore and several of her cheerleaders. Moore has admitted to giving alcohol and cigarettes to some of the cheerleaders off-campus. She is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. However, further investigations revealed that Moore allegedly got some of the cheerleaders out of class early, during school hours, in order to meet S.C. National Guardsmen at a local motel for sex.
The Guardsmen have since been disciplined and reassigned.
No criminal charges have been filed in these incidents due to the fact that none of the cheerleaders in question were under the legal age of consent.
However, Principal Jane Blackwell was charged by local investigators of obstruction when several students at Ware Shoals High School reported that she had instructed them not to speak to authorities about the case concerning Moore.
Blackwell had conducted her own investigation into the behavior of Moore late last year and had written her reports in a diary that police officials confiscated as evidence. Blackwell contends that she instructed students not to talk about the case in order to prevent false rumors from spreading around the school and the community. She maintains she never intended for her students not to speak to law enforcement officials investigating the case.
With her job on the line, Blackwell has maintained that she did absolutely nothing improper and that she intends to fight to keep her position with the school district.
At a meeting in February, the Ware Shoals School Board voted to invite Blackwell to a meeting of the Board to give her side of the story and to make her case as to why she should keep her job. The Board gave her the opportunity to accept or decline the offer and to choose whether she wanted a private or public meeting.
Blackwell chose a public meeting.
Anticipating a large crowd for the meeting, the school board decided that the hearing will be held in the gymnasium of the Ware Shoals High School this coming Friday, April 6.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will take place in the Ware Shoals High School gymnasium.
Blackwell had requested the public meeting after the school board had offered to give her a hearing regarding her continued employment. The beleaguered principal chose a public hearing so that her side of the story can be told amid rumors that have run rampant in this small community.
This scandal revolves around former Ware Shoals High School cheerleading coach Jill Moore and several of her cheerleaders. Moore has admitted to giving alcohol and cigarettes to some of the cheerleaders off-campus. She is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. However, further investigations revealed that Moore allegedly got some of the cheerleaders out of class early, during school hours, in order to meet S.C. National Guardsmen at a local motel for sex.
The Guardsmen have since been disciplined and reassigned.
No criminal charges have been filed in these incidents due to the fact that none of the cheerleaders in question were under the legal age of consent.
However, Principal Jane Blackwell was charged by local investigators of obstruction when several students at Ware Shoals High School reported that she had instructed them not to speak to authorities about the case concerning Moore.
Blackwell had conducted her own investigation into the behavior of Moore late last year and had written her reports in a diary that police officials confiscated as evidence. Blackwell contends that she instructed students not to talk about the case in order to prevent false rumors from spreading around the school and the community. She maintains she never intended for her students not to speak to law enforcement officials investigating the case.
With her job on the line, Blackwell has maintained that she did absolutely nothing improper and that she intends to fight to keep her position with the school district.
At a meeting in February, the Ware Shoals School Board voted to invite Blackwell to a meeting of the Board to give her side of the story and to make her case as to why she should keep her job. The Board gave her the opportunity to accept or decline the offer and to choose whether she wanted a private or public meeting.
Blackwell chose a public meeting.
Anticipating a large crowd for the meeting, the school board decided that the hearing will be held in the gymnasium of the Ware Shoals High School this coming Friday, April 6.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Teacher Sex Scandal Ends in Murder
Knoxville, TN (TLS). The city of Knoxville, Tennessee, tucked neatly beside the Tennessee River in the beautiful Smokey Mountains, is normally a quiet southern city that has a crime rate that should make it the envy of the world.
Knox County is home to deeply religious mountain folk who love their churches, their guns, and their bluegrass music. One would think that such a setting would produce more than its share of violent crime, particularly that which involves guns.
One would be quite wrong in making that assumption.
Gun violence is rare here, although the vast majority of the population owns them. Character, honor, and Christian values permeate the culture here, keeping a valuable check on any innate human tendency to engage in destructive behavior.
Every now and then, however, violence does shake the foundation of this mountain paradise. Knox County is known for ending the year with only one murder for the record books--for the entire year. Thus, when those rare murders creep into the community, you can be sure it becomes the talk of the town.
This murder, however, has all the trappings of a Hollywood tabloid scandal.
This story involves a young married school teacher, her husband, and an 18-year-old high school student. Quiet rumors of an affair made their rounds in this close-knit southern city, except in this case the nature of the affair was enough to send shock-waves racing through town like a live-wire in a bathtub.
This affair involved the ultimate taboo in a town that loves Jesus and its Gospel Music. The teacher allegedly was involved with one of her students.
30-year-old Erin McLean was in her final semester at the University of Tennessee, studying for a graduate degree in education. She met 18-year-old Sean Powell in the Fall of 2006 while doing a teaching internship at West High School in Knoxville. Powell dropped out of school in November of 2006 for unknown reasons, and moved to Nashville where he stayed with his formerly estranged mother, Debra Flynn.
It was at this time that a text message allegedly appeared--from Erin McLean to Sean Powell, stating, 'Come home, baby. I love you. You are beautiful.'
Flynn stated that her son admitted to the affair.
Apparently, the plea of the text message on that cell phone worked. On the evening of March 10, 2007, Erin McLean's husband, Eric, dialed 911 to report an intruder in their home. Seven minutes later Erin called 911 herself, stating that her husband had just shot Sean Powell outside--in the car that Powell was driving.
At this point Eric McLean fled the scene in his car, later leaving the vehicle at the high school where his wife taught. Police later found McLean 6 miles away walking along a railroad track, allegedly still carrying the shotgun he used to kill Sean Powell.
Eric McLean's attorney acknowledges that his client killed Powell, and thus, his defense at the trial will focus on WHY Eric shot Sean Powell to death.
Did he catch his wife and her 18-year-old lover in the act? Or did Sean Powell come to the home to see Erin and confront her husband--a meeting that resulted in a deadly argument?
These questions will be answered at the trial.
Sources close to the investigation state that Eric McLean had been aware of the affair between his wife and Powell, and that in a moment of rage he snapped.
As for Erin McLean, she moved to Nashville to stay with relatives along with her children. She has also hired her own attorney, although police have not charged her with any criminal wrongdoing. At the time the affair began, Powell was well-beyond the age of consent in the state of Tennessee.
Needless to say, this trial will focus on the biggest scandal these mountains have seen in many a year. Apart from the rarity of this sort of thing in these parts, this case will raise several tragic issues--the growing phenomenon of teacher-student sexual liaisons, the lack of clearly-stated guidelines that are strictly enforced by school systems regarding the professional wall that exists between educators and students, and the internal psychological dynamics of a spouse that is so thoroughly enraged by the fact that his wife was having an affair with a student that he loses control and kills her lover.
Thus, this trial will be of great national significance.
Knox County is home to deeply religious mountain folk who love their churches, their guns, and their bluegrass music. One would think that such a setting would produce more than its share of violent crime, particularly that which involves guns.
One would be quite wrong in making that assumption.
Gun violence is rare here, although the vast majority of the population owns them. Character, honor, and Christian values permeate the culture here, keeping a valuable check on any innate human tendency to engage in destructive behavior.
Every now and then, however, violence does shake the foundation of this mountain paradise. Knox County is known for ending the year with only one murder for the record books--for the entire year. Thus, when those rare murders creep into the community, you can be sure it becomes the talk of the town.
This murder, however, has all the trappings of a Hollywood tabloid scandal.
This story involves a young married school teacher, her husband, and an 18-year-old high school student. Quiet rumors of an affair made their rounds in this close-knit southern city, except in this case the nature of the affair was enough to send shock-waves racing through town like a live-wire in a bathtub.
This affair involved the ultimate taboo in a town that loves Jesus and its Gospel Music. The teacher allegedly was involved with one of her students.
30-year-old Erin McLean was in her final semester at the University of Tennessee, studying for a graduate degree in education. She met 18-year-old Sean Powell in the Fall of 2006 while doing a teaching internship at West High School in Knoxville. Powell dropped out of school in November of 2006 for unknown reasons, and moved to Nashville where he stayed with his formerly estranged mother, Debra Flynn.
It was at this time that a text message allegedly appeared--from Erin McLean to Sean Powell, stating, 'Come home, baby. I love you. You are beautiful.'
Flynn stated that her son admitted to the affair.
Apparently, the plea of the text message on that cell phone worked. On the evening of March 10, 2007, Erin McLean's husband, Eric, dialed 911 to report an intruder in their home. Seven minutes later Erin called 911 herself, stating that her husband had just shot Sean Powell outside--in the car that Powell was driving.
At this point Eric McLean fled the scene in his car, later leaving the vehicle at the high school where his wife taught. Police later found McLean 6 miles away walking along a railroad track, allegedly still carrying the shotgun he used to kill Sean Powell.
Eric McLean's attorney acknowledges that his client killed Powell, and thus, his defense at the trial will focus on WHY Eric shot Sean Powell to death.
Did he catch his wife and her 18-year-old lover in the act? Or did Sean Powell come to the home to see Erin and confront her husband--a meeting that resulted in a deadly argument?
These questions will be answered at the trial.
Sources close to the investigation state that Eric McLean had been aware of the affair between his wife and Powell, and that in a moment of rage he snapped.
As for Erin McLean, she moved to Nashville to stay with relatives along with her children. She has also hired her own attorney, although police have not charged her with any criminal wrongdoing. At the time the affair began, Powell was well-beyond the age of consent in the state of Tennessee.
Needless to say, this trial will focus on the biggest scandal these mountains have seen in many a year. Apart from the rarity of this sort of thing in these parts, this case will raise several tragic issues--the growing phenomenon of teacher-student sexual liaisons, the lack of clearly-stated guidelines that are strictly enforced by school systems regarding the professional wall that exists between educators and students, and the internal psychological dynamics of a spouse that is so thoroughly enraged by the fact that his wife was having an affair with a student that he loses control and kills her lover.
Thus, this trial will be of great national significance.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Allena Williams Ward Once Decried Teacher Scandals
Washington, DC (TLS). As a high school and college student, Allena Williams Ward once decried teacher scandals that often made their way into the news. According to friends and acquaintances of the middle school teacher who finds herself embroiled in a sex scandal involving young teenage boys, Ward would express shock and outrage that teachers would behave in such as fashion as to bring reproach upon the teaching profession.
Friends who knew Ward back in those days describe a clean-cut, wholesome Christian girl who always wanted to become a school teacher. The entire family, in fact, displayed the wholesomeness that people in the Bible belt appreciate in Christian folk. Ward's parents are heavily involved in Christian ministry through their local church. The consensus of the community seems to be that Ward and her family have always been considered some of the finest people one could ever meet--'salt-of-the-earth' types who have reputations above reproach.
Yet if Ward is convicted of the crimes of which she is accused by local law enforcement, her lifelong dream will be coming to an abrupt end. Not only will she face prison, but her days of teaching school will be over--permanently.
According to county records, Ward graduated from Clinton High School in 2001. She immediately enrolled in the prestigious Presbyterian College in Clinton, from which she graduated in 2005 with a degree in Middle School Education. At the time of her arrest, Ward was the 7th grade teacher of Language Arts at Bell Street Middle School in Clinton.
In short, this woman grew up in Clinton, was educated in Clinton, and worked in Clinton. Her entire life was spent there. And believe me, small towns in the South know no secrets. If Ward had been viewed as a person lacking in the character and judgment to be entrusted with school children, someone--many someones, in fact--would have known about it in this small town.
Further, all prospective teachers in South Carolina are required to undergo a complete background check conducted by the state law enforcement division, called 'SLED.'
Without a blemish on her record or reputation, Ward was hired to teach students in her hometown...the town she never left, not even to get a college education. Apparently everyone knew her and trusted her with the education of their children.
These facts all beg the following questions:
Did Ward carry a dark secret for a number of years that was only unleashed recently--a secret that previously she had kept hidden within the confines of her own mind until they burst forth in a fury of 'acting out'?
Was Ward always engaged in this behavior throughout high school and college, but somehow managed to keep it all quiet? If so, how many knew this was going on?
Are the allegations made against her patently false? Was she framed? Is this a scheme cooked up by school kids seeking revenge on a teacher for some unnamed offense, such as discipline?
Did the cops get it all wrong? Do they have the wrong person? Were the accusations made against her designed to cover up someone else's wrongdoing?
All of these questions, and more, MUST be considered in order to arrive at the truth. Only the complete truth will satisfy the burning question of how such a thing could happen in such a nice place as Clinton. And the only redemption that will come to the guilty is in the disclosure of the complete truth.
For more details, click here:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/pol/288172744.html
Friends who knew Ward back in those days describe a clean-cut, wholesome Christian girl who always wanted to become a school teacher. The entire family, in fact, displayed the wholesomeness that people in the Bible belt appreciate in Christian folk. Ward's parents are heavily involved in Christian ministry through their local church. The consensus of the community seems to be that Ward and her family have always been considered some of the finest people one could ever meet--'salt-of-the-earth' types who have reputations above reproach.
Yet if Ward is convicted of the crimes of which she is accused by local law enforcement, her lifelong dream will be coming to an abrupt end. Not only will she face prison, but her days of teaching school will be over--permanently.
According to county records, Ward graduated from Clinton High School in 2001. She immediately enrolled in the prestigious Presbyterian College in Clinton, from which she graduated in 2005 with a degree in Middle School Education. At the time of her arrest, Ward was the 7th grade teacher of Language Arts at Bell Street Middle School in Clinton.
In short, this woman grew up in Clinton, was educated in Clinton, and worked in Clinton. Her entire life was spent there. And believe me, small towns in the South know no secrets. If Ward had been viewed as a person lacking in the character and judgment to be entrusted with school children, someone--many someones, in fact--would have known about it in this small town.
Further, all prospective teachers in South Carolina are required to undergo a complete background check conducted by the state law enforcement division, called 'SLED.'
Without a blemish on her record or reputation, Ward was hired to teach students in her hometown...the town she never left, not even to get a college education. Apparently everyone knew her and trusted her with the education of their children.
These facts all beg the following questions:
Did Ward carry a dark secret for a number of years that was only unleashed recently--a secret that previously she had kept hidden within the confines of her own mind until they burst forth in a fury of 'acting out'?
Was Ward always engaged in this behavior throughout high school and college, but somehow managed to keep it all quiet? If so, how many knew this was going on?
Are the allegations made against her patently false? Was she framed? Is this a scheme cooked up by school kids seeking revenge on a teacher for some unnamed offense, such as discipline?
Did the cops get it all wrong? Do they have the wrong person? Were the accusations made against her designed to cover up someone else's wrongdoing?
All of these questions, and more, MUST be considered in order to arrive at the truth. Only the complete truth will satisfy the burning question of how such a thing could happen in such a nice place as Clinton. And the only redemption that will come to the guilty is in the disclosure of the complete truth.
For more details, click here:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/pol/288172744.html
Monday, March 05, 2007
Welcome to The Liberty Sphere, 3/5/07
Good Morning! Welcome to The Liberty Sphere on this Monday, March 5, 2007.
Here are our news items and commentary for today: (scroll down for these stories)
**'LIBERTY ALERT! Conyers Seeks to Criminalize Anti-Gay Religious Speech!'
**'Allena Ward Williams Court Date Set'--new info on the teacher sex scandal in S.C.
**'New Movie Tackles Global Warming Lies'--WOW, this one will enrage environmentalist wackos!
**'Giuliani is NOT "One of Us"'--why conservatives should be wary
Have a great day!
Here are our news items and commentary for today: (scroll down for these stories)
**'LIBERTY ALERT! Conyers Seeks to Criminalize Anti-Gay Religious Speech!'
**'Allena Ward Williams Court Date Set'--new info on the teacher sex scandal in S.C.
**'New Movie Tackles Global Warming Lies'--WOW, this one will enrage environmentalist wackos!
**'Giuliani is NOT "One of Us"'--why conservatives should be wary
Have a great day!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Female Teacher-Male Student Sex Scandals
Washington, DC (TLS). The state of South Carolina has been shell-shocked in recent weeks by two high-profile sex scandals involving female teachers/school officials and under-age male students. The first of these incidents involved Ware Shoals High School in the small town of Ware Shoals, S.C., where a cheerleader coach by the name of Jill Moore was charged with giving alcohol to minors, contributing to the delinquency of minors, and taking 16-year-old female students with her for sexual trysts at local motels with two National Guardsmen. The second incident occurred last week when a middle school teacher in Clinton, S.C. by the name of Allena Williams Ward was charged with sexual activity with 14 and 15-year-old-boys.
Both of these incidents made international news.
In addition, both of these incidents occurred in small, religiously-oriented rural towns in the South--something that is normally not expected in the Bible belt. The town of Clinton is home to the prestigious Presbyterian College, which is a small, liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Ware Shoals is even smaller, having at one time been a thriving textile mill village in the days when cotton was king in the South. Religion was the centerpiece of these small towns and villages, and to this day they continue to be strongholds of Christian evangelicalism and conservative Republican politics.
So what's going on here? Why the seemingly sudden rash of sexual scandals involving female teachers and their students?
The phenomenon is not unique to the South but is nation-wide. Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, news reports have increasingly focused upon high-profile cases of liaisons between female teachers and young male students. Several of these resulted in prison sentences for the teachers involved. At least two resulted in pregnancies. One of these cases involved not only a pregnancy but an eventual marriage when the teacher was released from prison and when the student became an adult.
Further, a shocking U.S. Department of Education study issued in June of 2004 stated that at least 20% of male students had reported either verbal or physical sexual misconduct by female teachers.
Several theories have been postulated as to the reasons for these occurrences. My own gut feeling is that the lax mores of modern society leave it vulnerable to these kinds of inappropriate, and sometimes criminal, behaviors. The waning influence of religion and moral values is certainly a core factor.
However, the problem is much more complicated than that. As a special report issued in 2005 by U.S.A. Today indicates, these troubling cases can be laid at the feet of mental and emotional instability, pathological insecurity. a terribly deficient self-image, personality disorders, as well as a family history of sexual, emotional, verbal, and physical abuse. Most of the female perpetrators were being treated for depression and anxiety at the time of their arrest.
It should be pointed out that the vast majority of women who receive treatment for depression and anxiety are NOT involved in sexual activity with minors. However, these two disorders when added to a personality/developmental disorder, plus a history of abuse, can add up to a dangerous mixture that leads unstable persons to pursue intimate encounters with under-age persons--persons who reflect the emotional age of the adult perpetrator.
Thus, a 35-year-old teacher who is involved with a 15 year old boy may actually be only 15 years-old in emotional terms. She never matured emotionally to the point that she can have satisfying sexual relations with other adults.
The Liberty Sphere wishes in no way to provide an excuse for any adult who initiates sexual liaisons with under-age persons. The explanations postulated above are merely attempts to explain and understand the bizarre.
For the complete text of the U.S.A. Today special report on this subject in 2005, click here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-11-29-women-sex-crimes_x.htm
Both of these incidents made international news.
In addition, both of these incidents occurred in small, religiously-oriented rural towns in the South--something that is normally not expected in the Bible belt. The town of Clinton is home to the prestigious Presbyterian College, which is a small, liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Ware Shoals is even smaller, having at one time been a thriving textile mill village in the days when cotton was king in the South. Religion was the centerpiece of these small towns and villages, and to this day they continue to be strongholds of Christian evangelicalism and conservative Republican politics.
So what's going on here? Why the seemingly sudden rash of sexual scandals involving female teachers and their students?
The phenomenon is not unique to the South but is nation-wide. Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, news reports have increasingly focused upon high-profile cases of liaisons between female teachers and young male students. Several of these resulted in prison sentences for the teachers involved. At least two resulted in pregnancies. One of these cases involved not only a pregnancy but an eventual marriage when the teacher was released from prison and when the student became an adult.
Further, a shocking U.S. Department of Education study issued in June of 2004 stated that at least 20% of male students had reported either verbal or physical sexual misconduct by female teachers.
Several theories have been postulated as to the reasons for these occurrences. My own gut feeling is that the lax mores of modern society leave it vulnerable to these kinds of inappropriate, and sometimes criminal, behaviors. The waning influence of religion and moral values is certainly a core factor.
However, the problem is much more complicated than that. As a special report issued in 2005 by U.S.A. Today indicates, these troubling cases can be laid at the feet of mental and emotional instability, pathological insecurity. a terribly deficient self-image, personality disorders, as well as a family history of sexual, emotional, verbal, and physical abuse. Most of the female perpetrators were being treated for depression and anxiety at the time of their arrest.
It should be pointed out that the vast majority of women who receive treatment for depression and anxiety are NOT involved in sexual activity with minors. However, these two disorders when added to a personality/developmental disorder, plus a history of abuse, can add up to a dangerous mixture that leads unstable persons to pursue intimate encounters with under-age persons--persons who reflect the emotional age of the adult perpetrator.
Thus, a 35-year-old teacher who is involved with a 15 year old boy may actually be only 15 years-old in emotional terms. She never matured emotionally to the point that she can have satisfying sexual relations with other adults.
The Liberty Sphere wishes in no way to provide an excuse for any adult who initiates sexual liaisons with under-age persons. The explanations postulated above are merely attempts to explain and understand the bizarre.
For the complete text of the U.S.A. Today special report on this subject in 2005, click here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-11-29-women-sex-crimes_x.htm
Saturday, March 03, 2007
S.C. School District Updates Info on Sex Scandal
Washington, DC (TLS). Laurens County School District 56 has updated its website with the latest information on the sex scandal involving a Bell Street Middle School teacher and male students between the ages of 14 and 15.
As reported on The Liberty Sphere late Friday, Allena Williams Ward, the 23-year-old married teacher accused of alleged criminal sexual activity with minors, was released from jail Friday afternoon after posting bail. Ward left the detention facility accompanied by her husband and other family members who are avidly expressing support for the accused teacher.
Parents of young teens in the school district, however, are not so happy about Ward's release. These parents have also expressed their ire at school district officials who refused to answer any questions related to the case in a special meeting with parents on Thursday evening.
However, the school district has provided updated information on its website. Documents related to the case and the school district's response are available on pdf files. These files can be accessed by going to the district website at:
http://www.laurens56.k12.sc.us/
As always, The Liberty Sphere will provide updates as they become available.
As reported on The Liberty Sphere late Friday, Allena Williams Ward, the 23-year-old married teacher accused of alleged criminal sexual activity with minors, was released from jail Friday afternoon after posting bail. Ward left the detention facility accompanied by her husband and other family members who are avidly expressing support for the accused teacher.
Parents of young teens in the school district, however, are not so happy about Ward's release. These parents have also expressed their ire at school district officials who refused to answer any questions related to the case in a special meeting with parents on Thursday evening.
However, the school district has provided updated information on its website. Documents related to the case and the school district's response are available on pdf files. These files can be accessed by going to the district website at:
http://www.laurens56.k12.sc.us/
As always, The Liberty Sphere will provide updates as they become available.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Teacher in S.C. Sex Scandal Released on Bond
Washington, DC (TLS). Allena Williams Ward, the 23-year-old married teacher charged in a sex scandal involving 14-15 year-old boys has been released from jail on bond.
Ward was released late this afternoon and was accompanied by her husband and other family members, who are reportedly giving the accused teacher their full support. An electronic tracking device issued by the Laurens County Sheriff's Department will monitor Ward's movements. She is allowed to travel only to church, to her attorney's office, to the court, and to her doctor.
Law enforcement officials stated that if Ward violates the terms of this 'house arrest,' officers will be immediately notified via email or cell phone.
Parents of students in Laurens County School District 56 are none too pleased that Ward was released from jail today, claiming that she is a threat to their children. The local District Attorney, which in South Carolina is referred to as the 'Circuit Solicitor,' had sought to prevent Ward's release and/or to make her bail much higher. Parents are outraged that Ward's bail was set so low. Her release today occurred only two days after her arrest.
The Circuit Solicitor in the case has referred to Ward as a threat to the public given the predatory nature of her alleged sex crimes. If this allegation is proved in court, there is much more here than what meets the eye. A case can be made that predatory sex acts committed against under-age persons is a hideous disease that is deserving of psychiatric evaluation and treatment, in addition to whatever punishment the court deems necessary.
Yet, as always, it cannot be overly stressed that so far the charges against Ward are allegations. Her first court date is set for roughly one month from today. Only a court of law can determine guilt or innocence. So far, nothing has been proved and no verdict has been issued.
The Liberty Sphere is committed to reminding communities and victims in cases such as this to remember that in America the accused must not be found guilty in the court of public opinion before any evidence has been submitted to a court of law. There will be plenty enough time for all the evidence to be presented in court and for a jury to deliberate as to its authenticity.
The citizens of Clinton, South Carolina must allow the attorneys, the court, and the jury to carefully consider the facts in the case before any judgment is to be rendered. At present, Mrs. Ward is accused of ALLEGED crimes, and she must be presumed innocent until a jury finds her guilty.
Ward was released late this afternoon and was accompanied by her husband and other family members, who are reportedly giving the accused teacher their full support. An electronic tracking device issued by the Laurens County Sheriff's Department will monitor Ward's movements. She is allowed to travel only to church, to her attorney's office, to the court, and to her doctor.
Law enforcement officials stated that if Ward violates the terms of this 'house arrest,' officers will be immediately notified via email or cell phone.
Parents of students in Laurens County School District 56 are none too pleased that Ward was released from jail today, claiming that she is a threat to their children. The local District Attorney, which in South Carolina is referred to as the 'Circuit Solicitor,' had sought to prevent Ward's release and/or to make her bail much higher. Parents are outraged that Ward's bail was set so low. Her release today occurred only two days after her arrest.
The Circuit Solicitor in the case has referred to Ward as a threat to the public given the predatory nature of her alleged sex crimes. If this allegation is proved in court, there is much more here than what meets the eye. A case can be made that predatory sex acts committed against under-age persons is a hideous disease that is deserving of psychiatric evaluation and treatment, in addition to whatever punishment the court deems necessary.
Yet, as always, it cannot be overly stressed that so far the charges against Ward are allegations. Her first court date is set for roughly one month from today. Only a court of law can determine guilt or innocence. So far, nothing has been proved and no verdict has been issued.
The Liberty Sphere is committed to reminding communities and victims in cases such as this to remember that in America the accused must not be found guilty in the court of public opinion before any evidence has been submitted to a court of law. There will be plenty enough time for all the evidence to be presented in court and for a jury to deliberate as to its authenticity.
The citizens of Clinton, South Carolina must allow the attorneys, the court, and the jury to carefully consider the facts in the case before any judgment is to be rendered. At present, Mrs. Ward is accused of ALLEGED crimes, and she must be presumed innocent until a jury finds her guilty.
UPDATE ON SEX SPREE BY FEMALE TEACHER
Washington, DC (TLS). The Liberty Sphere learned late Thursday evening that outrage erupted at a South Carolina middle school over the arrest of a female teacher who is charged with having sex with 14 and 15 year old boys.
23-year-old Allena Williams Ward was arrested on Wednesday of this week on 5 counts of criminal sexual misconduct with a minor and 6 counts of lewd acts on a minor.
Ward taught at Bell Street Middle School in Clinton, South Carolina, a small town of roughly 10,000 located 65 miles north of the state capital of Columbia.
Bell Street Middle School is part of Laurens County School District 56. The school board held a meeting on Thursday evening with concerned parents. However, many of the parents who attended the meeting emerged with more questions, and more outrage, than when they entered.
According to parents who spoke to the media after the school board meeting, parents were not allowed to ask any questions. The school board took the entirety of the meeting to explain the details of the alleged incidents involving Mrs. Ward and the steps the board is taking to provide assistance to students and families in the aftermath of the scandal.
However, some parents claim that it was simply not enough.
School board officials stated that their objective for the meeting was to convey information and details in as straightforward a manner as possible, and that teachers and administrators are grieving along with parents.
District 56 officials have posted complete information concerning the scandal on its official website. The District maintains that it intends to be as open about the case as the law allows, given that charges have been brought against one of its teachers and that the case is now under the jurisdiction of the court.
From what we can tell, Laurens County School District 56 is taking prudent steps. In cases such as this certain details cannot be disclosed due to legal considerations. In addition, we must again remember that the charges are of alleged actions. No one as yet has been convicted in a court of law for doing anything illegal. Mrs. Ward must have her hearing in court, and the court is the only proper place for all details to be disclosed--details that will either convict or exonerate the defendant.
It bears repeating here once again that in the United States legal system, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Only the court can determine guilt in this case. Ward must not be tried in the court of public opinion, no matter how hideous the charges are against her.
To view the press releases of the Clinton law enforcement division, the Laurens County School District 56, as well as the plan of services the District will offer to students, parents, and staff effected by this incident, click here to go directly to the District 56 website:
http://www.laurens56.k12.sc.us/
23-year-old Allena Williams Ward was arrested on Wednesday of this week on 5 counts of criminal sexual misconduct with a minor and 6 counts of lewd acts on a minor.
Ward taught at Bell Street Middle School in Clinton, South Carolina, a small town of roughly 10,000 located 65 miles north of the state capital of Columbia.
Bell Street Middle School is part of Laurens County School District 56. The school board held a meeting on Thursday evening with concerned parents. However, many of the parents who attended the meeting emerged with more questions, and more outrage, than when they entered.
According to parents who spoke to the media after the school board meeting, parents were not allowed to ask any questions. The school board took the entirety of the meeting to explain the details of the alleged incidents involving Mrs. Ward and the steps the board is taking to provide assistance to students and families in the aftermath of the scandal.
However, some parents claim that it was simply not enough.
School board officials stated that their objective for the meeting was to convey information and details in as straightforward a manner as possible, and that teachers and administrators are grieving along with parents.
District 56 officials have posted complete information concerning the scandal on its official website. The District maintains that it intends to be as open about the case as the law allows, given that charges have been brought against one of its teachers and that the case is now under the jurisdiction of the court.
From what we can tell, Laurens County School District 56 is taking prudent steps. In cases such as this certain details cannot be disclosed due to legal considerations. In addition, we must again remember that the charges are of alleged actions. No one as yet has been convicted in a court of law for doing anything illegal. Mrs. Ward must have her hearing in court, and the court is the only proper place for all details to be disclosed--details that will either convict or exonerate the defendant.
It bears repeating here once again that in the United States legal system, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Only the court can determine guilt in this case. Ward must not be tried in the court of public opinion, no matter how hideous the charges are against her.
To view the press releases of the Clinton law enforcement division, the Laurens County School District 56, as well as the plan of services the District will offer to students, parents, and staff effected by this incident, click here to go directly to the District 56 website:
http://www.laurens56.k12.sc.us/
Another Female Teacher Goes on Sex Spree
Washington, DC (TLS). The Liberty Sphere has learned that yet another female teacher in South Carolina, only 30 miles or so from Ware Shoals, has gone on a sex spree with under-age students. This time the setting is Clinton, South Carolina, a small town 35 miles south of Greenville and 65 miles north of the state capital of Columbia.
The teacher in question, 23-year-old Allenna Williams Ward, taught in a middle school in the Clinton, SC area. The married teacher is charged with 5 counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, and 6 counts of lewd acts on a minor. Investigations into the conduct of Ward ensued when she allegedly sent sexually suggestive messages to a student--which were inadvertently discovered by school officials.
Law enforcement officials conducted their investigations into the acts that allegedly occurred between December and early February, and discovered that Ward allegedly engaged in sex with at least 5 teenage boys, ages 14 and 15, in the school building, in city parks, as well as a nearly motel.
Ward was arrested on Wednesday of this week and placed on administrative leave by the school district pending a court hearing. She is being held on bond. If she makes bail, she will be monitored electronically by law enforcement officials.
The Liberty Sphere continues to be baffled by the rash of incidents around the country involving FEMALE teachers and teenage boys.
The teacher in question, 23-year-old Allenna Williams Ward, taught in a middle school in the Clinton, SC area. The married teacher is charged with 5 counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, and 6 counts of lewd acts on a minor. Investigations into the conduct of Ward ensued when she allegedly sent sexually suggestive messages to a student--which were inadvertently discovered by school officials.
Law enforcement officials conducted their investigations into the acts that allegedly occurred between December and early February, and discovered that Ward allegedly engaged in sex with at least 5 teenage boys, ages 14 and 15, in the school building, in city parks, as well as a nearly motel.
Ward was arrested on Wednesday of this week and placed on administrative leave by the school district pending a court hearing. She is being held on bond. If she makes bail, she will be monitored electronically by law enforcement officials.
The Liberty Sphere continues to be baffled by the rash of incidents around the country involving FEMALE teachers and teenage boys.
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