Student Tommy Clay Goes on The Today Show to Discuss Sexual Relationship with Teacher Carrie McCandless
UPDATE
Tommy Clay, 18, the student who had a sexual relationship with Brighton Charter High School teacher Carrie McCandless, appeared this morning on NBC’s The Today Show. You can see Matt Lauer interviewing the Clay family on MSNBC’s website.
The family’s attorney said the family went on the program as a part of the student’s healing process and to show how damaging the relationship of an older woman and a young boy was to Tommy, then 17. They also wanted to expose how Brighton Charter High School’s administors tried to cover up the sexual relationship.
Not Cool
When the Clay family brought the matter to the school’s principal, Chris McCandless - Carrie’s husband - they asked the Clays to take Tommy out of the school. Then the school board’s president, David Mundy also asked that he leave the school and tried to cover up the incident. In fact, they all wanted to suspend Tommy saying that they needed to save the McCandlesses’ marriage.
Tommy said the sexual relationship with Carrie McCandless changed his life. At first he was super cool with the other guys at school, but then he began to lose friends. He had trouble with his girl friends and getting dates. Some students accused him of being disloyal to the popular teacher. However, the other teachers were supportive.
Tommy has left Brighton Charter permanently and will be homeschooled or will enroll at another school to get his high school diploma.
Here’s Where Matt Lauer Failed Us in the Interview
Tommy’s dad, Mark said everyone’s attitudes from the students to the school’s administrators, showed a lack of awareness of sexual abuse and predators in our society. However, he and his wife (along with the school) DID NOT CALL POLICE. The incident wasn’t reported until a Denver television reporter contacted authorities.
Come on Matt, why didn’t you grill them on this? Why didn’t they report the teacher and the school to the police? Why did they go to the press instead? Revenge for being asked to leave?
The parents said it was because they were honoring Tommy’s wishes to protect the teacher. Tough shit. The woman is a sicko. Not only did she cheat on her husband. But she did it with a kid that both she and her husband had the responsibility to protect and educate.
Face it - for awhile Mr. and Mrs. Clay protected a sexual predator. They didn’t get mad until the principal and board president asked them to remove their son from the school. However, the Clays redeemed themselves by appearing on The Today Show and discussing that it’s never o.k. for an older person to take advantage sexually of a minor child, even if that person is a woman and it’s every boy’s fantasy to have sex with his blond, hottie teacher.
That’s a brave move and I applaud their efforts.
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Tommy Clay, Brighton Charter High School, Carrie McCandless, Today Show, Matt Lauer, sexual abuse, sexual predator, hot for teacher, student-teacher affair
March 13th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Omg I can’t believe they tried to hold the student responsible/suspend him in an effort to ‘’save the marriage”??!!
It IS crap that the parents didn’t go to the authorities but I’m glad it’s all since come to light.
March 20th, 2007 at 5:53 am
[...] Teacher’s Husband, Eric McLean, Shoots and Kills his Wife’s Love Interest, Student Sean Powell March 19th, 2007 by Anne-Marie Nichols Here’s a really good reason never to have an affair with your teacher, no matter how badly you want to go on The Today Show - their spouse may try to kill you. [...]
April 25th, 2007 at 8:18 am
[...] McCandless will get 45 days in jail and five years’ probation for pleading guilty to unlawful sexual contact with then 17-year-old Tommy Clay. (Remember, Tommy was the victim who appeared on the TODAY Show). [...]
June 11th, 2007 at 5:28 am
[...] McCandless must register as a sex offender for her sexual liaison with then 17-year-old student, Tommy Clay, she’s only getting 45 days in prison and five years probation. She also has to register as a [...]