NC Teacher Faces Sex Charges After Student Publishes Haunting Essay About Affair That Ended With Abortion
- Posted on April 28, 2011 at 6:31am by
Emily Esfahani Smith
- Print »
- Email »
A former high school band teacher in North Carolina was arrested on sex charges after a young woman wrote in an essay in her college newspaper that he got her pregnant – and took her to get an abortion – when she was his student.
The essay, “I had an affair with my high school teacher,” used some fake names but identified the Winston-Salem school, and the principal there tipped off authorities. It was originally written for a composition class at North Carolina Central University and appeared in the campus paper this month as part of an annual special section.
The piece, which describes a relationship that started when the student was 17 and her teacher 24, begins with a chilling description of the abortion.
“The sound of the vacuum still rings in my ears almost three years later,” she wrote. “He had taken me to Greensboro because he was scared of someone from school or anyone catching us together at the abortion clinic – didn’t want anyone `getting the wrong idea.’”
The teacher, Terry Lamar Jones, now 28, turned himself in on Monday and was charged with 64 felony counts of sex with a student, each one punishable by 15 months in prison. He was jailed on $500,000 bail.
Jones’ attorney, David Freedman, said: “People are quick to judge in matters when people are charged, especially when a teacher is accused of having a relationship with a student.”
The woman, now a college junior, used her real name in the essay, and it was published along with a photo, but The Associated Press is not identifying her because police consider her a victim of a sex crime.
Repeated attempts to reach her were unsuccessful. She changed the name of her former teacher, as well as that of another student she said had a sexual relationship with him, and all but one reference to her alma mater, Parkland High.
Investigators refused to give details about their investigation, saying only that they spoke with the student last week.
Jones left the Winston-Salem school system in November 2008. Freedman and district officials would not give details about his departure, saying only that he had no demotions or suspensions and submitted a letter of resignation. He had been a band teacher since last year at a middle school in Durham, a position he resigned the day after he turned himself in.
The age of consent in North Carolina is 16, but Jones was charged under a law that specifically makes it a crime for a teacher to have sex with a student at the same school. It is a misdemeanor if the teacher is less than four years older than the student, and a felony if the teacher is four or more years older.
There was no indication in the essay that the woman wanted to see her former teacher arrested or otherwise punished.
The essay, published April 13, created a sensation on campus, with students clamoring for copies of the paper. A day after it came out, more than half of the 4,000 copies were stolen from receptacles around campus, the paper’s faculty adviser said. It is not known who took them.
“A lot of people want to read it, but they can’t get ahold of it for themselves,” said Ashley Griffin, editor of The Echo. “It’s really a pretty big deal over here.”
The relationship began in October 2007, the student wrote, when Jones invited her to his home to review band videos on the Internet. She said the two kissed that night, but she left in a big hurry to make curfew.
“It was as if he wanted me as bad as I had him that entire year,” the student wrote. “I drove home wide-eyed and full of energy. Who in their right mind would ever believe that I had almost had sex with our band director?”
She said things quickly turned sexual, and the two spent nearly every night together. She said the relationship faltered when she learned that Jones had also been involved with her best friend, but she stayed with him anyway until she graduated in 2008.
“I think I needed the attention,” the student wrote. “Today I don’t speak to either of them. They are still together.”
The student wrote that she still feels guilt about the relationship.
“I am still scarred by the experience. I lost my only friends and abused and embarrassed myself by sleeping with a teacher and having an abortion,” she said. “A lot of girls can talk the talk, but we all have to be aware of that guilty walk that comes along with the territory.”
Popular Stories
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 707 Comments
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 560 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 379 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 370 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 363 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 370 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 379 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 301 Comments- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 149 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 302 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 370 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (79)
stopthespending
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:35amIt does not matter the color of your skin it whats in your heart, no one wants to take blame for anything anymore, it’s called Progressive
Report Post »CarolinaGirl
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:28amIt always astounds me in that a man will put his very life and that of an underage girl in jeopardy for sex u al gratification. Of course, vice versa. Guys, keep your pants zipped. Gals, keep your legs crossed.
I can tell you right now the girl had no father or an uninvolved one. And the teacher had no father who taught him to respect women. Saddest part of this is the death of a baby. We need to get back to the SHAME factor that we Americans have lost.
Report Post »Junter
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:04amStay classy America!
1. Sleeping with your teacher for attention – bad idea.
Report Post »2. Sleeping with your students for sexual gratification – bad idea.
LukeAppling
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 10:53amPeople who abuse young people should be sentenced to death. A young mind is easily led astray by teachers, ministers, priests and Presidents. Stalin and Hitler began using young minds with the idea of “hope and change now Obama is trying a similar sleazy trick but when the young minds awaken they have lost all freedom never to be recovered.
Report Post »ThoreauHD
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 10:05amAnd from a progressive’s point of view, her statutory rape and subsequent murder of a child is considered a success story.
Report Post »Pinkie
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 10:04amShe “embarrassed” herself? What a strange way to describe her shame and sorrow.
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:56am“charged with 64 felony counts of sex with a student, each one punishable by 15 months in prison.”
OK, the guy was a dirtbag and deserves to be punished. But I want to focus on the abuse of our legal system here. 64 individual counts? I think most of us would agree his crime in having sex with his student was a singular act. To divide the act up into multiple parts so that each part can be charged and the punishment magnified is an accounting gimmick and travesty of rational justice. It’s like charging a thief with 64 counts of robbery because he stole 64 dollars. Prosecutors have a habit of overcharging so they can coerce a plea bargain. This is corrupt and abuse of their power.
If having sex with an underage girl merits 15 months in prison then that is what he should get. If he deserves more than that then the statute should be changed.
Report Post »MikeinIdaho
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:41amAnother predatory animal is exposed. But what do you bet that the teacher’s union protects him and saves his job for him.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 3:46pmMy bet would be yes!
Report Post »poster
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:36amCan Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson be far behind?
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:19am“Terry Made Me Do It – My Very First Abortion” – a ghetto love story.
Report Post »Blackjacx1
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:14amAt least this didn’t go on long enough for him to get a frequent Planners Punch Card. o,O
Report Post »Awful. I know. But I think it needed to be said. Sorry. :S
love the kids
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:50amAt least when he gets out of jail, he will have a job as a supervisor at a “planned parenthood”.
Report Post »ztkraptor
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:37amYou know,
Report Post »I bet it wasn’t forced abortion, because I bet she didn’t want to “ruin her future”…I’m sure she was against the 60+ sex incidents right? What a joke.
UlyssesP
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:43amYes, where is the “other hand”?
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:55amMaybe not “forced” but probably “strongly encouraged”.
Report Post »IntrepidSI
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:20amWell all I can say is thank God that there are fine Democrats out there who will not only provide the abortion but will also send their Union money to insure this guy never get fired. In fact, the most Liberal of the crowd, the ACLU will probably help this poor man defend against those who dared to read his text messages, and if you disagree with any of this, well obviously you’re racists. Now all he need do is get caught diddling with a male student, he can claim he is now a homosexual, and that’s what we call a “Twofa”, meaning he is a double protected individual. He could wear ladies clothing on the weekends, claim he is a “Transexual” and become a “Threefa”.
Yes, thank God for the Democrat Party – Helping those who simply can’t help themselves to anything but your tax money.
Report Post »Bushie
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:54amThis is what society is teaching our young children today s OK. This article should make all you Libs happy.
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:49amPerhaps we could hear from Jesse or Al on this one? Didn’t think so………
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:49amDoesn’t fit their standards, would have to be a white teacher and a black student. Then they would be marching in the streets crying “injustice”.
Report Post »NC
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:26amThis has been in the local news here for about a week. Why The Blaze is covering it now is akin to Obama releasing his BC, now.
I find it strange that the student was of legal age, the sex was consensual, and the teacher is facing 64 felony counts. The student is getting off w/o even a slap on her wrist. Where is the justice?
NC (remembers his junior year accounting teacher and she was HOT. Mrs. Cherry; oh the memories, she touched me once – on the hand)
Report Post »smak
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:32amTingle!
Report Post »SLAPTHELEFT
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:48am@ NC. hmmm, another conservative without any morals… Who would’ve thunk ? If it was your daughter I think you would have different feelings. since it’s not your daughter then, Oh well, who cares ? No skin off your back huh ? You people should really try to follow what Glenn says instead of just carrying his water for him..
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:53amNC – There is a law in NC against a teacher having sex with a student. The teacher broke the law. Why are you having trouble understanding that?
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:52amSomehow, NC, living with the memory of having an abortion for the rest of one‘s life doesn’t seem to me to be a slap on the wrist. It was obviously emotional enough for her to write about it as a college junior.
As for the Blaze not picking it up right away, well, next time, submit something you think is newsworth. They have a tip line.
Report Post »Dagger82
Posted on April 29, 2011 at 1:36am@NC
You’re obviously male. Most of us full of testosterone at 16 fantasized about a tryst with a specific teacher. Fortunately, when we learned (much later) that abuse (emotional or physical) ALWAYS has consequences, we actually grew up AND became an adult.
@ SLAPTHELEFT
See my earlier posting to your garbage. Another thing I’ll never understand about you people ~ I seldom respond to progressive rants and philosophicals when perusing those other sites (HuffPost, MM, Daily Kos), yet you and others like ENCINOM seem transfixed on the Blaze and GlennBeck.com. Seems like an illogical way to spend your time and get your jollies.
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:23amlol!
Report Post »olddog
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:22amThe girl was 17 years old, didn’t I see in Hawai girls a women at 16. Obama’s mother was the same age when pregnant 17, was that rape?
Report Post »akamaikamaaina
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:59amObama’s father, 25 was guilty of the statutory rape of Stanlely Ann Dunham 17.
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:47amThe issue here, I believe, is not that the girl was 17 and the man 24. The State of North Carolina has the age of consent at 16. The issue was that he was her teacher and more than 4 years older. Consensual or otherwise, he got involved with not one, but two of his own students, and apparently still has a on-going relationship with one of them. It’s also clear he knew he was in violation because he drove her to get an abortion where no one would know them.
Report Post »Blackjacx1
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:09am@Bushie- Not cool. I don’t care how horrible a President, or how statutory the rape that conceived him… No one deserves to have that said about them. That’s just too mean, even for him. :P
Report Post »kindling
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:54pmSo she may have aborted a future president?
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:18amHmmm…band teacher? What instrument did she play the…oh never mind.
Report Post »Blackjacx1
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:03amThat’s aweful… lol… /self loathing for thinking it was funny … DANG YOU TEDDRUNK!!!!:P
Report Post »YesNdeedie
Posted on April 29, 2011 at 4:06pmApparently it was the organ.
Report Post »SLAPTHELEFT
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 6:56amI bet all of you are thinking ” ( before i opened up this link i bet it’s a black guy) Blaze reasers = racist tea partiers..
Report Post »misteryuck
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:05amLooks like a bit of prejudice on your part. Kettle meet pot.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:08amSeems like you were the only one thinking that, racist.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:20amNo, actually I thought “I wonder what the idiot, leftist, race baiters will say about this?” Now I know, thanks.
Report Post »SLAPTHELEFT
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:28am@gonzo and the rest.. I am a conservative just like you.. what, I’m a leftist because i have a different view on things ? Who better to know what you are thinking, than a conservative just like you ?
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:49amSorry to disillusion you but it never crossed my mind but on the other hand it did occur to YOU! Sounds to me that the biggest racist here is YOU. Is this like the school kid who cheated on a test and justified it to himself by saying “everybody does it”. Keep your hate to yourself and your liberal friends.
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 7:51amRiiiiggggghhhhht. You are a conservative just like the rest of us, but you posted that garbage. I doubt if you are a conservative and I know you are not like the rest of us.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:07amSo, you had no problem with the idiot, race baiter part. Fair enough.
Report Post »hrandym
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:43amIn fact, it seems he is a black guy.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:53amI didn’t think of the color, but I did think that the teacher was a Democrat.
Report Post »Blackjacx1
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:01amTrolls of every political persuasion, cease your idle bickering, and hug it out. Except SLAPTHELEFT… he’s a racist, and that’s different.:P
Report Post »FNTM
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:06amActually there was a ‘white’ teacher banging soem of the girls at Hialeah High School in the early 60′s. I think it has more to do with your past memories of like incidents. Yours must be black shaded, huh?
Report Post »LOOKING_BOTH_WAYS
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:20am@SLAPTHELEFT…. I’ve been reading your post for a few days now and you are rather confusing, are you sure you know who you are ? schizophrenic is my guess.
Report Post »trappedinwv
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 10:34amActually I thought it was going to be a male student and white woman teacher.
Report Post »IowaWoman
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:00amMy bet is that is what YOU were thinking.
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:35amSlapTheLeft:
I don’t believe you are a conservative. I think your a troll, under instruction of Cass Sunstein. You ate an infiltrator and you forgot which ID you were logged in with. “Oooops!! That was supposed to be my liberal persona!”
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:38amOops, I meant you *are* an infiltrator, lol!
Report Post »Dagger82
Posted on April 29, 2011 at 1:16amY’know Slap, you’re the only one that even THOUGHT about race. Everyone else were concerned with adult responsibility, ease of attaining abortion without parental knowledge, child abuse, etc.
That’s a real problem with you progressives ~ you’re mean, degenerate, and only take pleasure in spewing filth. I’ll pray for you, but I’ll never understand what motivates you to arise every morning.
Report Post »numbers
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 6:54amThis guy is a predator and has no defense, period. This girl, a child at the time, is a victim of a terrible crime made worse because of the position of trust and authority held by this teacher.
Report Post »larman
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 6:51amThis is what democracy looks like!
Report Post »http://www.larryfalco.com
QC Ghost
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 6:45amWill collective barganing and higher pay protect the kids? Oh, wait; this is an isolated incident.
Report Post »http://www.qcghost.blogspot.com
teddrunk
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 6:37amWell, can’t leave a story describing that horrific procedure lying around. Young women might get the idea that going to places like Planned Parenthood, is the same as shopping at the mall.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:01amI agree, they make it sound like it’s no big deal but the lasting scars are painful forever. I hope this young lady will find a counselor (I used to say pastor but in today‘s times I wouldn’t trust what they would preach to her) to help her get through her guilt. God bless.
Report Post »Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:06amHere is yet another perfect example of how abortion is NOT pro-choice.
Report Post »Sad. A lesson for me to be around and available my teenagers and not believe they can raise themselves in high school.
Mainer forever
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 8:23am“The sound of the vacuum still rings in my ears almost three years later,” she wrote. If that is NOT enough to make you sick….then there is something wrong with you.
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:07amWhy didn’t the “teacher” want her to keep it?? Hang the preditor.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 9:54amSo here we go a male teacher had sex with a 17 year old student and they want to put him in jail for life. Where was the criminal justice system when three different female teachers hads sex with male students as young as 14 and got nothing more than time served or maybe a year or two in prison.
Report Post »I believe that a 17 year old girl should have more of a right to consent than a 14 year old boy does. More over psychologist have claimed with noi dispute from women that women mature faster than men. Should this man be charged yes with a sex crime no however he shouold be charged with taken abuse of his position much like a psychologist who has sex with a patient.
Tagudinian
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 10:17amTeenage girls don’t have enough sense to behave when in the company of adults, like teachers and other persons of authority over them thinking that it is quite an accomplishment to be considered an equal. But this teacher is a lecher of a man. He should be thrown in jail.
Report Post »USAMama
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 11:26amAren’t we glad that our school teachers care so much for our children that they have the right to take them out of school and get them an abortion without having to involve their parents? It’s for the students own good, you know. Now perverts can not only rape and molest our kids but now they can cover their butts if the kid inconveniently gets pregnant.
Just another justification for why I homeschool!!
Report Post »KOCHLEFFEL
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 12:43pmIt takes two to make a baby, but never mind. He was a teacher, he was teaching.
Report Post »and the result was a baby. What is so bad about it?
MyFreedomIsn'tForSale
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 6:22pmGet
Report Post »A
Rope