Teacher Smackdown

In Newton, New Jersey, James Cunneely, 31, was indicted on sexual assault and endangering charges. He received one first-degree count and four third-degree counts for having a least a dozen sexual encounters with a 15-year-old female Kittatinny Regional High School student.

Cunneely had sex with her at three local hotels, during Super Bowl Sunday, in his car, in her bedroom, and even her mother’s bedroom. Busy guy, geez.

His attorney is trying to downgrade the first-degree charge during plea negotiations since two risk assessments of Cunneely, including one done by the state, were favorable.

I’m not sure what a risk assessement is. Maybe it’s a study to see if Cunneely will do this again? (And if you know, please leave a comment below.)

So far, he’s been suspended by the Kittatinny Board of Education and at the Sussex County Community College, where he was an adjunct professor. I suppose Cunneely will permanently loose his teaching license and have to register as a sex offender, too.

Is getting the first degree charge pleaded down such a big deal since he’s been penalized in other ways? If it was me or my daughter he molested, I’d say yes, it IS a big deal, and NO don’t plea it down. He should serve the maximum amount of time for aggressively pursuing sex from a 15-year-old.

James Cunneely, student-teacher affair, sexual assault and endangering, sexual assault, Kittatinny Regional High School