Teacher Smackdown

Another young, blond, attractive teacher gone bad. (And another story for reader Brian.)

In Tucson, Arizona, Rebecca Lee Kelley, 24, a former teacher at Salpointe Catholic High School pleaded guilty to one count of failure to report a reportable offense. (Huh, what kind of wacky law speak is that?). She also pleaded guilty to three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Kelley was an English teacher at the private high school.

Kelley was originally was indicted on four counts of sexual conduct with a minor under 18. This happened last spring after administrators at Salpointe reported her to police when they learned she was having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male student. She was allowed to quit her job at that time.

The indictment states that Kelley may have engaged in sexual activity with the boy. However, it stops short of alleging she had actual sexual intercourse with the teenager. So I guess this could mean anything from kissing to oral sex, right?

A conviction on the original charges would have meant mandatory prison time of two to three year. She would have also been required to register as a sex offender. However, with a plea deal she’ll probably get probation for the maximum three years. She will also have to pay restitution, capped at $10,000, to pay for counseling for the boy and his mother.

Kelley will be sentenced in November. I still think she should have to register as a sex offender or have some block to ever teaching or being around teenagers and children again. (Maybe lose her teacher license?) Do it once, shame on her. Letting her do this again, shame on us. Don’t let this woman teach again.

Rebecca Lee Kelley, Salpointe Catholic High School, delinquency of a minor, student-teacher affair