Iowa Teacher Sentenced Again

(Sioux City, Iowa) In May 2007, 39-year-old married mother of three and former teacher at Boyden-Hull Community School, Kelli Cuperus (aka Kelly DeBoer), received probation for repeatedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old male student. Most observers would likely say she was treated leniently by the court. I'd say she was given a gift.

Nevertheless, it seems that probation was too hard for Cuperus (DeBoer) and, in June 2007, she was arrested for a probation violation.

Cuperus' probation officer, Kimberly Waagmeester, said in the court documents that it's apparent that Cuperus isn't "taking her probation seriously and feels she can do as she chooses."

Immediately after her her probation was imposed, Cuperus/DeBoer apparently crashed a family camping outing and, without consulting with adults in attendance, she spent an entire day playing with youngsters and imbibing in a reported six-pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade. Both activities were prohibited by the terms of her probation. Additionally, she also wasn't sporting her ankle monitor as required.

As a result, Judge Edward Jacobson found Cuperus/DeBoer guilty of violating her probation and sentenced her to four months at a residential treatment facility in Sioux City. If she keeps a clean record during her stay, the judge said he may overturn her conviction.

So, in a nutshell, a teacher gets essentially no punishment for child sex crimes, violates probation and receives a hand slap. One has to wonder what makes Cuperus/DeBoer so special, other than the fact that she is female. Holy moly, if a male teacher had been convicted of child sex crimes with a female student and then violated probation, I don't believe he would breathe air as a free man for many years.

Hey, it ain't over either. Given her demonstrated disregard for the law, Cuperus/DeBoer will likely be back in the news soon. Stay tuned.