Female Teacher Gets No Jail for Sex with Female Student

(Akron, Ohio) Last March, 22-year-old former teacher and basketball coach at Firestone High School, Quanette Vales, was arrested for having sex with a 15-year-old female student. Vales was initially charged with sexual battery and sexual conduct with a minor.

Yesterday, just days before her trial was to start, Vales pleaded guilty to sexual battery and was sentenced to two years community control and forfeiture of her teaching license.


[Update]

Vales' sentence also includes 10 years registration as a sex offender. It's worth noting that, after her sentencing, Vales had a few words for the media.

From Ohio.com:

Vales said in a phone interview that she is innocent. She said she entered the guilty pleas only to avoid a possible prison sentence and separation from her family.

Vales said she did not have sexual relations with the teen. She said the girl is lying about the relationship.

"I was railroaded by the media, the newspaper and everything for something I didn't do," Vales said.

Frankly, I don't know how to take this case. Vales claims innocence after she pleads guilty. It doesn't make much sense. One thing seems certain, though. Vales is walking away from the entire experience apparently without learning a whit nor feeling any sense of contrition. According to Vales, the whole episode is somebody else's fault.

Maybe a couple years of private, personal meditation time behind bars would have been a more appropriate sentence than letting her walk. It appears that Vales is not thinking clearly.