(08/26/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Mary Ems, 43, a former special education teacher at Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati, Ohio has reportedly been charged on allegations of having sex with an 18-year-old male student she was tutoring last fall.

It is alleged that Ems had consensual sex with the teenager who was enrolled at Winton Woods High at the time and that the sex did not occur at the school but during tutoring services provided by Ems.

Reportedly, Ems was not charged with felony sexual battery, the crime alluded to in the police report, but rather with a misdemeanor sex charge under a deal worked out between Ems’ attorney and prosecutors.

If found guilty, Ems faces a maximum sentence of six months upon conviction but no requirement to report as a sex offender.

Also under the deal between counsel, Ems surrendered her teacher’s license to prosecutors and will no longer teach.

Ems has a court date set for September 15th.

09/15/09 – Guilty Plea

Mary Ems has reportedly pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unlawful sexual contact with a minor.

As part of the plea deal, Ems was required to surrender her teaching license.

Sentencing is set for October 29th and Ems faces a maximum of 6 months in jail, however the judge has indicated that she would place Ems on probation.

Ems will not be required to register as a sex offender.

Assistant Prosecutor Anne Flanagan said the refusal of Ems’ victim to cooperate prevented authorities from seeking a possible felony conviction against Ems.

10/01/09 – Mary Ems Reportedly Working For School

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Mary Ems, who is awaiting sentencing for unlawful sexual contact with a minor, is working for a private all-boys school in Cincinnati, Ohio.

11/04/09 – Judge Requires polygraph Tests

A Hamilton County judge is so concerned about fired teacher Mary Ems’ behavior that she is requiring the woman to submit to polygraph tests as a condition of her probation.

Common Pleas Court Judge Melba Marsh sentenced Ems to two years of probation, ordered Ems to continue her counseling and not to engage in any inappropriate contact with minors.

Judge Marsh wondered aloud what Ems then was doing working at a Silverton post-graduate academy – an all-male school – after giving up her teaching certificate and pleading guilty to a sex crime involving a minor.

(09/10/09 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Michele Taylor, 31, a physical education teacher at East Valley High School in Yakima, Washington has reportedly been charged on allegations of sexual contact with a 16-year-old male student in a KMart parking lot.

Reportedly, Taylor is charged with sexual misconduct and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

In addition to the alleged sexual contact with the 16-year-old student it is also alleged that Taylor communicated with a 15-year-old male student and raised the possibility of sending him a nude photo, then sent another suggestive photo of herself at a party.

An investigator’s report alleges that Taylor exchanged more than 400 text messages with the two boys between March and June.

Taylor came to the attention of authorities in June when a student alerted the school system to the alleged conduct and the sheriff’s office began an investigation of Taylor.

KAPP TV reports:

County Prosecutor Jim Hagarty says his office decided not to arrest Taylor because she has no criminal history. She’ll have to appear in court in mid-October.

Reportedly, Michele Taylor and her husband, who is also a physical education teacher in the district, are well known because they are the parents of triplets who were born prematurely and received community support.

Michele Taylor was placed on paid administrative leave when the allegations arose in June.

Taylor’s arraignment is scheduled for October 16th.

The photo of Michele Taylor shown on the left is from her page on the web site of the Centralia College Sports Hall of Fame, a fact brought to our attention by Danny, over at The Weekly Vice.

09/17/09 Not Guilty Plea To Apparently Reduced Charge

Michele Taylor has, by way of a written plea submitted by her attorney, pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree sexual misconduct and two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Last week, the deputy prosecutor handling the case indicated that he had charged Taylor with first-degree sexual misconduct, yet this week he indicated he didn’t know why the charges filed in Yakima County Superior Court were actually for second-degree sexual misconduct.

The former is a felony offense punishable by up to five years in prison while the latter is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison.

The Following Is the Webmaster’s OPINION:

Apparently neither the deputy prosecutor nor his boss has seen fit to explain the reduced charge and Taylor’s attorney is apparently not talking either, all of which gives rise to at least the appearance of double-standards in the handling of cases of men and women accused of similar crimes.

This is particularly the case since County Prosecutor Jim Hagarty says his office decided not to arrest Taylor because she has no criminal history. Earlier a male coach charged with first-degree sexual misconduct with a female student was arrested and jailed in spite of the man having no criminal record.

This case is shaping up as one which may well define the extent to which double-standards exist in the treatment of school employees accused of improper relationships with students.

10/06/09 – Case Update

A reader has brought to our attention a report by the Yakima Herald-Republic which indicates that an amended charge of first-degree sexual misconduct was filed against Michele Taylor who also faces two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

According to the referenced report, Prosecutor Hagarty said he will consider strengthening the process to make sure that proper charges are filed, and that he will review the standards on whether to arrest defendants who are teachers.

10/16/09 – Arraignment

Today, Michele Taylor appeared in court for arraignment on charges of sexual misconduct and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Taylor’s attorney pointed out to the judge that Taylor had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges. The defense sought and received modification of the standard no-contact order prohibiting Taylor from being around children. Taylor is now permitted contact with her own children.

The judge also agreed to let Taylor remain free on her own recognizance.

10/23/09 – Case Update

Reportedly, East Valley School District school officials met with Michele Taylor this week for a “due process meeting” and the district is continuing its internal investigation of Taylor.

Once the district’s investigation is complete, school officials will decide what if any action to take in regard to Taylor’s employment with the district.

Meanwhile, Taylor continues on paid administrative leave.

11/03/09 – School District Moves To Fire Taylor

Reportedly, the East Valley School District sent a letter to Michele Taylor on Monday saying there is “probable cause” to terminate her employment with the district.

Taylor will have 10 days to decide if she wants to appeal the decision.

If she does appeal, the district will conduct a hearing over the matter.

(10/01/08 – Initial BadBadTeacher.com Report)

Deirdre Peterson, 41, an English teacher at Fortuna Union High School in Fortuna, California has been charged with felony unlawful intercourse with a minor and annoying or molesting a minor.

Peterson is alleged to have had sex with an underage male student during June of this year.

Peterson who came to the attention of authorities around September 18th has been placed on administrative leave by the school system.

Reportedly Dierdre Peterson’s husband is an Algebra teacher at Fortuna Union High School.

10/02/08 – Warrant Issued, Surrender Expected

Reportedly a felony warrant with a bond of $35,000 was issued for Peterson on Wednesday and she has until Thursday afternoon to turn herself in .

10/03/08 – Surrender and Release on Bond

Deirdre Peterson turned herself into the Humboldt County jail just before noon Thursday and posted $35,000 bail.

10/08/08 – Court Appearance

Today Deirdre Peterson made a court appearance and enter not guilty pleas to the charges.

Peterson remains free on $35,000 bond.

According to a report in the “Times-Standard”:

According to court documents, the student, John Doe, first made the allegations against Peterson to one of his classmates, then repeated them to a pastor at Fortuna’s Calvary Christian Center. According to the same documents, Peterson admitted to the pastor that she’d had sex with John Doe, but her husband later said Peterson had been physically, psychologically and emotionally raped.

In an earlier edition the “Times-Standard” had reported that a female friend of Peterson’s reportedly told investigators that Peterson confided in her about the affair, first telling her she’d had sex with a student and asking her to guess which one. After disclosing John Doe’s identity, Peterson reportedly told her friend the sex with him had been “freaking amazing,” the friend told investigators.

11/13/08 – Preliminary Hearing

On Thursday a preliminary hearing was held for Deirdre Peterson.

The hearing featured the testimony of a Fortuna Police Department detective who detailed the evidence for the judge who ruled there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial.

Peterson is scheduled for arraignment December 2nd.

08/14/09 – Jury Says Hung On 2 Counts, Not Guilty On One Count

The jury in the trial of Deirdre Marie Peterson found her not guilty on a charge of oral copulation with a minor.

The jury was deadlocked at 6 to 6 on the count of unlawful sexual intercourse and was deadlocked 8 to 4 on the charge of molesting or annoying a minor, with the majority voting for guilty.

A new trial on the two remaining charges is set for October 5th.

11/02/09 – Second Trial Underway

The second trial of Deirdre Marie Peterson on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, and molesting or annoying a minor is set to get underway today with jury selection.

Jurors previously found Peterson not guilty of a charge of oral copulation with a minor after her August trial. The jury could not reach a verdict on two other charges, both of which will be the focus of the retrial. The jury deliberated for about a week before stating they were “hopelessly deadlocked.”

References:

Fortuna teacher’s retrial underway with jury selection (11/02/09)

Jury hung in Peterson case (08/14/09)

Judge hears evidence of sex abuse in Fortuna High School teacher case (11/14/08)

Fortuna High teacher Peterson pleads not guilty (10/08/08)

Peterson surrenders, released on bail (10/03/08)

Fortuna teacher released on bail (10/02/08)

Fortuna teacher expected to turn self in today (10/02/08)

Fortuna High teacher charged (10/01/08)

Accused teacher’s case in DA’s hands (10/01/08)

Teacher placed on leave following accusations (09/30/08)