Tennessee Teacher Gets Prison for Sex with Students - Update

(Covington, Tennessee) Yesterday, former Crestview Middle School teacher Cindy Clifton pleaded guilty to engaging in sex with numerous students aged 14 to 17 in the classroom and in her home. Consequently, she was sentenced to three years in prison.

Clifton's plea encompassed 15 counts of aggravated statutory rape, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, furnishing alcohol to minors, and aggravated statutory rape by authority figure.

Eleven victims were identified during an investigation. Clifton was accused of having sex with seven of those victims. The other four were given alcohol. All of them were Clifton's students at Crestview Middle School in Covington.

She will serve an 11 year sentence, consisting of three years in prison and eight years probation.

"Regardless of innocence or guilt knowing you're going to serve a lengthy sentence like this weighs heavy on you," said Clifton's attorney, Blake Ballin.

Assuming similar offenses, I suggest a male teacher would have received a much stiffer stretch in the big house.

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Tennessee Teacher Accused of Sex with Students
[Previous 11/8/11 post]
(Covington, Tennessee) A 41-year-old reading teacher currently on suspension from Crestview Middle School, Cindy Garner Clifton, has been accused of engaging in sex with and providing alcohol to minors.

Clifton faces charges of statutory rape by an authority figure, aggravated statutory rape, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and providing alcohol to a minor.

The district attorney's office for Tipton County says the crimes involve 11 different minor victims between 14-17 and occurred on various dates between April and July of this year.

Clifton was booked into custody at the Tipton County Jail with bond set at $40,000.