Student sex in the classroom: How is the teacher to blame?
I didn’t want to post this as I think poor Clayton schools have had more than enough negative publicity in the last few weeks, but a teacher friend said she thought it was a good topic and please put it out there for discussion.
In a nutshell, a Clayton teacher was suspended without pay because a 17-year-old current senior and a 2o-year-old former student – both in the building after hours for a drama practice – chose to have sex in his classroom.
Forest Park High School teacher Kevin Jones was suspended for 20 days without pay. He had been leading a drama club rehearsal after school with a 20-year-old Forest Park High graduate.
“The teacher left the classroom after he had informed the students they had to go home,” school spokesman Charles White said.
A short time later, a school administrator entered the classroom and found a 17-year-old female student having sex with the 20-year-old graduate, White said. The other students had left. (No criminal charges were filed as the sex was consensual.)
Jones was suspended for failure to provide adequate supervision for an after-school sponsored activity, White said.
I know that teachers are in charge of their classrooms, but who thinks that two adults are going to indulge their amorous leanings in a public building? Couldn’t they wait until they got to the car? (Maybe, I’m just too old.)
Perhaps, the teacher deserved a warning. but a suspension?
I expect my 17-year-olds to act like adults and would never blame the teacher for this terrible lapse of sense.
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105 comments Add your comment
Meme
November 19th, 2009
9:51 am
I do know that in our system we are not to leave any students alone nor are we to leave the school if there are still students (that we were supervising) still there. That is the only thing I can see that he did wrong.
oldtimer
November 19th, 2009
9:56 am
He should have made sure his room was empty, lock the door, and walked everyone out. Then he should have supervised the parking lot till all his students had been picked up or at least driven away. You never, never, ever, leave people on a school campus unsupervised! EVER!
Maureen Downey
November 19th, 2009
10:01 am
Oldtimer, I have not seen too many teachers escort high school seniors to the parking lot after practices to see that they were picked up or got into their own cars and drove off. Is that standard?
Maureen
Reality
November 19th, 2009
10:04 am
This is news? Really AJC?
Reality Check
November 19th, 2009
10:05 am
This happened in Clayton County…. Wow! Who would have thunk it?
/sarcasm
Just the facts
November 19th, 2009
10:08 am
Gotta blame somebody so why not blame the person that wasn’t having sex? So, what’s a 20-year-old former student doing in the high school anyway?
Chris
November 19th, 2009
10:11 am
Gotta love the thugs! Clayton County, anyone surprised? You would not see this at an East Cobb school.
Tony
November 19th, 2009
10:15 am
Sensationalism at its finest.
Will
November 19th, 2009
10:16 am
Chris, be specific why don’t you? Why would you not see this an East Cobb School as opposed to any other school.
K.
November 19th, 2009
10:20 am
Why is the teacher, who ended the practice and dismissed the students, punished. The student should have been suspended (not allowed to transfer to another district) and the 20 year old should have been arrested. And for the record, Chris is absolutely right. At an East Cobb School, the teacher would have been the one having sex with the student!!!!!
Zeke
November 19th, 2009
10:20 am
Yeah “Chris” Everybody knows that East Cobb students would never do something like this.
Chris
November 19th, 2009
10:24 am
Because that is just something that thugs do. As you know, they could care less about the law. Hear about all of the Midtown car break-ins lately? Geeeee I wonder who is doing that?
Maureen Downey
November 19th, 2009
10:26 am
I have no doubt that this stuff happens everywhere. Because of its accreditation woes, there is a spotlight on Clayton County.
Maureen
Dixie Darling
November 19th, 2009
10:27 am
This is some more of the same old stuff. Kids (as those persons under age 18 are classified) are doing “no-nos” with adults (those who are over the age of 17). In today’s world, kids rule and do what they want — the adults do it so why shouldn’t kids do it? Are Teachers suppose to be the conduct police? Teachers are hired to teach subject matters. Some teachers are caring enough to spend extra hours coaching drama, sports, music, etc. and often for little to no extra pay. Teachers are abused and dis-respected and taken advantage of and made to take blame when it is not their fault. So the bad 17 year old “girl” who agreed to have sex with the bad 20 year old volunteer “man”. Want to bet it was not the FIRST sex either of those had? And to think the Teacher was found to be blamed for this. Seems to me, if I were that Teacher, I would never do any other extras for the school and the students — ever!
oldtimer
November 19th, 2009
10:29 am
Yes, in nearly every school I have ever worked in,teachers were told they were responsible for whatever the kids did on campus.And to supervise them. Even seniors…they can sure create mischief.
oldtimer
November 19th, 2009
10:31 am
Also, Clayton County isn’t the only system with thugs…they are everywhere. Clayton County has hundreds good teachers and thousands of great students. And the teachers are told to supervise students.
Will
November 19th, 2009
10:33 am
I think that this is a fair story to run…not so much two young people having sex, but rather because of an overzealous school administration. Seems to me that the teacher was suspended unfairly and that a wrong needs to be righted be rescinding the teacher’s suspension. I have no idea of what the teacher’s other record of performance is, but assuming that “this” is his only transgression, no wonder we have a hard time finding good and capable people willing to be teachers. Its sad …and so is “Chris”
Joy in Teaching
November 19th, 2009
10:34 am
The teacher was partially at fault because he didn’t put everyone out of the classroom and lock the door. This is assuming this was an actual lockable classroom and not a theater where it would have been much harder and more time consuming to secure.
Supervising students is part of a standard teaching contract. But 20 days for this? Really? Three would have been much more appropriate unless this is an ongoing issue with this teacher. And all because a senior and a non student were unable to control themselves?
Why is it the teacher was the only one punished…and his punishment was WAY overboard. Shouldn’t the 20 year old have been charged with (at least) public indecency and the 17 year old suspended for a breach to the Student Code of Conduct? Or would that have affected AYP?
Sounds like an administrator dropped the ball somewhere…
RJ
November 19th, 2009
10:43 am
Teachers should ALWAYS monitor students at all times. You always expect the worst. That means, teenagers will have sex, honestly, I’ve seen it with middle schoolers. You can’t see everything, but he should’ve double checked by making sure all students were with him. High school students are still minors and the teacher is held accountable.
The student should’ve definitely been punished.
neal kelley
November 19th, 2009
10:45 am
This is a stupid article. So what two people are caught having sex. It is not the first time it happened during work.. or even in school.. This is a space filler article with no news worthiness at all..
neal kelley
November 19th, 2009
10:45 am
This is a stupid article. So what to people are caught having sex. It is not the first time it happened during work.. or even in school.. This is a space filler article with no news worthiness at all..
Thugs in Cobb!!!!
November 19th, 2009
10:46 am
There are wannabe thugs in East Cobb. They try to be thugs in East Cobb but they are fake. This could easily happen in east cobb or anywhere.
Jennifer
November 19th, 2009
10:46 am
Maureen – this is all symptomatic of schools wanting to appear to the public that they are “hard and disciplined”. A warning yes, a suspension for 20 days, punitive and unnecessary – just like what is happening to students for minor transgressions.
You can be sure that the girl is now kicked out of school and will either drop out, be home schooled, or attend an alternative education center. And I bet there is some kind of law which will also result in criminal charges for coupling. Something probably called – coupling on government property.
JustMe
November 19th, 2009
10:49 am
Animals…no self control, no accountability…not surprised!!!
Angel
November 19th, 2009
10:52 am
East Cobb gets to wear the dunce’s cap.
MrHughes
November 19th, 2009
10:53 am
Kids are going to have sex. I think it’s a bit much to expect a teacher to walk students out of the building and supervise the parking lot until all the kids have left/gotten picked up. They don’t get paid for that. I wouldn’t do that. There are plenty of places were kids are unsupervised in a school (ie: bathrooms, under the bleachers, empty classrooms, gym, closets, etc) When I was in high school kids used to drink beer and hang out in the parking lot on Friday nights after football games. I think that’s way more dangerous than having sex. Also, the 20 year old was a former student that was volunteering time at the school. For obvious reasons he’s been dismissed, but this is not a criminal offense.
As for the thugs comment… It wasn’t too long ago that some children in Rockdale county were having full on sex parties and caused a STD pandemic. I went to high school in a very affulent area as well. So, would the parking lot drinkers be considered thugs? Let’s stay away from racist and classist generalizations please.
SallyB
November 19th, 2009
10:56 am
CHRIS…If you believe that that THUGS are the only young men and young ladies with uncontrolled sexual behavior…..well I want some of what you’re smoking! Even 5th, 6th, and 7th graders have caught with their pants down…in school and/or on school property…not to mention high school students…all parties consenting.
Once when I was teaching 8th grade in a classroom with 30 well behaved students who seemed to be involved in the lesson crammed in, a young lady toward the back of the room squealed out right in the middle of a lesson, “He’s got his weenie out, he’s got his weenie out!” Sure enough, there he was, unzipped and out, trying to get back in!!!! Affluent area, nice school, involved parents..like your East Cobb…. No thugs here…..just poor judgement and raging hormones.
DeKalb Conservative
November 19th, 2009
10:57 am
Picking on Clayton and using Cobb County as the role model? Really guys? You’ve got boys parading around in skinny jeans, wigs and makeup. You’re county is in no position to point the finger at Clayton.
Reality 2
November 19th, 2009
10:59 am
I agree with so many others that this teacher failed to provide the adequate supervision. I just wonder about the 20-day suspenction, though. Had the administrator found 2 students studying together in the classroom, where they weren’t supposed to be, would the teacher be suspended for 20 days? If the answer is “yes,” then this punishment is fair. But, the answer is “no,” then the system is punishing teachers for something beyond supervising students, and to which he really has no control over.
DeKalb Conservative
November 19th, 2009
10:59 am
Isn’t the “school administrator” that found the students also partly responsible here because he/she would have been present in the building while the 20-year old gained access? This teacher is too much of a fall guy for this one. There’s policies in place that allowed a 20-year old former student to gain access.
Side note, why is “former student” being used? Is the proper term “former graduate?” Do we have a graduation status on the 20 year old?
redandblackblood
November 19th, 2009
11:03 am
Wow!!! People are really still having sex? Does anybody really believe this doesnt happen just about everywhere and has been happening for years. Why is this even news?
YUNG CP
November 19th, 2009
11:04 am
me next!!!!….meet me n da locker room…3rd period ms.hammonds wont mind me skippin….u can serve me n rez up…maybe Andre 3 stacks…imma senior too u wont get n trouble
rez
November 19th, 2009
11:05 am
everybody need stop to think that clayton county is a worst county…..
i think dekalb county is because of what that 81 year old man set that women on fire…..
rez
November 19th, 2009
11:06 am
everybody need to stop think that clayton county is the worst county ever….cause i think dekalb county is because of what that 81 year old man set that women on fire
Kelly
November 19th, 2009
11:09 am
Really, does anyone not read the article? The 20 year old was a volunteer with the drama program.
The teacher did not deserve a 20 day suspension without pay. Besides making him suffer financially, his students suffered for being without a teacher. The teacher maybe deserved a day or two suspension.
As for him not locking the door, it is possible he did and the student or volunteer asked someone else to open it. And there are some schools that do not allow a teacher to lock the door. This is done for 2 reasons, one being the janitors and second for admin to check to make sure all classrooms are empty. It is even possible that one of the two had a key or they picked a lock.
Sex between students/volunteers/teachers or even teachers with teachers/volunteers is more common that anyone wants to admit. Just not in Clayton or Cobb. It’s in Cherokee, Gwinnett, Fulton, Pickens, Habersham, etc. also.
No one deserved to be arrested, everyone was of consenting age. The 20 year old was not in a authoritative position, so legally he can have sex with the 17 year old.
azcat225
November 19th, 2009
11:09 am
Agree with Joy in Teaching and Jennifer. Twenty day suspension, without pay—-that is wayyyyy over the top, unless this is the latest in a long line of issues with the teacher in question. Sounds more like administration posturing for the masses.
JustMe
November 19th, 2009
11:10 am
I used to work for Clayton County Board of Education…I worked at one of the county’s high schools…you have NO idea what all goes on in these schools…you catch them, call home and then you have to endure Moma and her refusal to believe that her little darling does anything wrong…it is always the fault of the teacher and/or administration, “they have something against my child” attitude…or it is a white administation and the student at fault is black, so AUTOMATICALLY it becomes a race issue…NO WHERE, NO HOW are those that are at fault, actually penalized or punished for their wrong doings…the schools (I can only speak for Clayton County) don’t/won’t do anything because they have NO support from the central offices…but we punish a teacher by taking away their pay for something two consenting individuals are responsible for…I understand the importance of not leaving students unsupervised, but come on, it isn’t like teachers are paid enough to deal with what all they have to deal with during the normal “8″ hour day, let alone, remain at the school when supervising extracurricular activities, way beyond the time that the activity has ended and the parents are supposed to pick up their children, when they in fact have families of their own…come on people, how many of you would ‘volunteer’ to stay after at your job and give of your time day after day???
PEACE
November 19th, 2009
11:10 am
A 20 suspension without pay for the teacher lack of supervision after dimissing students from an after school program is definately a bit much. The student former student (17 & 20 yr old) should have been held accountable for their actions. Charges of public indecency, improper or illegal use of government/state property or something along that nature. The teacher should have received a letter of reprimand/2-3 day suspension at most.
SallyB
November 19th, 2009
11:15 am
Sex of some description in middle school restrooms during class is fairly common, too, regardless of the location of the school. Boy requests bathroom pass. Girl in another class requests bathroom pass, Presto….empty hall, meet in one bathroom. Need I say more?
The simple fact is that teachers cannot have their eyes EVERYWHERE all the time. And we cannot continue to blame teachers for every questionable behavior [sexual or other] in which students choose to engage.
ST
November 19th, 2009
11:16 am
One of the following needs to happen.
1) Build a wall around Clayton County so no one can escape.
2) Put up signs stating the following, ” Now Entering Clayton County, Do Not Stop or Exit Your Vehicle.”
SallyB
November 19th, 2009
11:18 am
THank goodness, I don’t think blaming the teacher would to me if I were the administrator.
SallyB
November 19th, 2009
11:19 am
That would be “would occur to me” in the post above.
SA
November 19th, 2009
11:21 am
“Because of its accreditation woes, there is a spotlight on Clayton County.” SO WHAT! A good fish wrapper hires good talent who can at least find stories of substance. This isn’t one of them. Hey Maureen, 30 students were tardy today in Clayton County Schools. Better write about it. You know, since they’re in the spotlight.
Bill
November 19th, 2009
11:21 am
Mr. Hughes: You are incorrect where you state that this was not a criminal offense. At a minimum, it is public indecency. They were having sex in a public school, in a public classroom where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.
Like others who have commented, I am disappointed that the teacher was suspended without pay for 20 days. Even if supervision was expected, the punishment is excessive. This expectation of supervision suggests why student achievement lags so seriously in Clayton County and elsewhere. School administrators expect teachers to be baby sitters instead of instructors.
Joy in Teaching
November 19th, 2009
11:25 am
When I was teaching in a Clarke county middle school, there was a young lady who was caught giving 25 cent blow jobs in the restroom. She had quite a few customers.
Yeah, she was carted off to alternative school.
DeKalb Conservative
November 19th, 2009
11:28 am
@ SA
30 students were tardy today? Only 30?
This is a story of substance. This is the type of story that doesn’t seem too big in local news, but finds a way of sneaking into national news. Three recent example, the Clayton County cheer (or dance) team freak dancing like they were applying for a job at the Cheetah, the Cobb County transgendered boy who dropped out and the Jesus-obsessed school in North Georgia that can’t start of game without their cheerleaders holding a painted prayer verse for their football team to run through.
Inspector6230
November 19th, 2009
11:29 am
@chris…why do you think that Clayton county is a very bad place to live…you cant let a few items destroy an entire city…Eact Cobbis no better than any other city in the Ga nor the US….This incidenc could have happen anywhere..they just got caught..and as far as THUGS goes..Thugs are everywhere..you dont have to be from Clayton Co to be a Thug…you dont have to be a certain race to be a Thug…these are two kids who thought they had a great opportunity to have sex in the classroom…to them, they propbably thought they could brag about it later on FB or myspace…..you sound really stupid Chris!!
Terry
November 19th, 2009
11:41 am
I’m going out on a limb here – I feel bad for the teacher. Too often teachers are used as scapegoats in situations like this. And for those who think this can’t happen anywhere – the county matters not – is sadly mistaken. Teenagers do stupid things no matter they live.
teacher man
November 19th, 2009
11:44 am
I tell you what will help academics….parents who make their durn kids behave and administrators who are competent and fair. Everyone blames teachers for everything. Blame yourselves. They are your kids. Teach them some basics before they get to school….try manners, self control. A novel idea I know but give it a shot.
SA
November 19th, 2009
11:49 am
@ Dekalb conservative
I don’t agree. It’s nothing new that doesn’t happen anywhere else. But because Clayton is in the “spotlight” it now is news? Two students were caught having sex in the student parking lot of a high school in Fayette County during lunch. Where’s that story? I have yet to see anything about the great work that Juvenile Court Judge Steven Teske is doing in Clayton County. I wonder if the AJC knows he’s being asked to visit many communities across the nation to talk to them about how his program to address discipline is working? I guess the AJC isn’t into stories that are positive for places “in the spotlight”.