(Tulare, California) As reported in November 2005, first-year Tulare Western High School English teacher Elizabeth Stow, now 28, was convicted of seven counts of having sex with a minor and five counts of oral copulation with a minor for incidents with three underage students between September and December of 2004.Encapsulating Stow's malfeasance, she graduated from college, started teaching at Tulare High School and, before the first mid-term, began having sexual relations with three students. To compound her troubles, Stow was on probation from a drunken driving conviction when she was arrested for having sex with students.
At sentencing, Judge Walter Gorelick gave Stow one year in the county jail with the option of serving it under house arrest. Additionally, Stow was ordered to undergo counseling, surrender her teaching credentials, and register as a sex offender. At the time, the prosecution expressed concern that Stow's lenient sentence would send the wrong message about sex between teachers and students. I concurred.
In the latest development, Judge Walter Gorelick yesterday dropped the sex registration requirement for Elizabeth Stow. Therefore, the exceedingly lenient sentence Stow received last year for multiple sex crimes with underage students was made more lenient this year. This trend is troubling. In a few years, the court may very well give Stow an award with a cash prize.
No comments:
Post a Comment