Teacher Janelle Bird Gets Two Years in Prison

(Pensacola, Florida) Last December, Escambia High School reading teacher Janelle Marie Bird was arrested for allegedly having a two-year sexual relationship with a student that started when he was a 14-year-old.

In July, Bird was convicted by a jury of two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and two lesser counts of unnatural and lascivious act. At the time, it was reported that she faced a possible 30 years in prison and, notably, she had previously rejected a plea deal which would have given her eight years. I predicted she would see a sentence of ten years.

Boy! Was I wrong?

Today, Escambia County Circuit Judge Nick Geeker sentenced Bird to a mere two years in prison. I'm a little surprised. The nature of her crimes, two years of sex with a boy starting at age 14, were such that I thought she would surely see a handsome stretch in the slammer. However, I can be faulted for forgetting the first rule of American jurisprudence, females are never as guilty as men in similar circumstances.