Cris Lynn Morris
Posted by Webmaster in FE-MV, Hall of Shame, High Schools, Social Studies, Utah(10/25/07 – Initial BBT Report)
Cris Lynn Morris, 29, of Washington City, Utah, a social science and history teacher as well as girl’s soccer and track coach at Hurricane High School in Hurricane, Utah has been arrested on five felony counts of first-degree rape of a 17-year-old male student aide in one of her classes.
The charges are the result of Morris allegedly having sexual intercourse five times with the student between August and October. It is alleged that all of the sexual encounters took place at Morris’ home, with two of the encounters outside in the backyard and three inside the home.
Reportedly Morris has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation by the school system.
Media reports indicate that Morris, who has worked at the school since the start of the 2004 school year, was released from jail after posting $100,000 bond.
3/07/08 – Guilty Plea
On Wednesday, Cris Lynn Morris pleaded guilty to three lesser counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old.
She faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing in May.
05/15/08 – Sentencing
Cris Lynn Morris was today sentenced to 30 days in jail on three third-degree felony counts of unlawful sexual misconduct.
Morris will be permitted to serve her 30 day sentence over the course of 15 weekends.
Morris was also sentenced to three months’ probation and is required to register as a sex offender.
In addition Morris must also pay $2,500 to a victim-restitution fund and a $3,000 fine.
At her sentencing hearing Morris apologized to her family, the victims family and all she had hurt by her actions and expressed a desire “to move forward with our lives”.
References:
Teacher sent to jail for sex with teen (05/16/08)
Former Hurricane teacher to spend 30 days in jail for sex with student (05/15/08)
Teacher faces prison time for sex with student (3/05/08)
Hurricane teacher makes court appearance on rape charges (10/30/07)
High school teacher arrested on investigation of rape (10/25/07)
Teacher to face charges (10/25/07)
Female teacher arrested on rape charges in southern Utah (10/24/07)
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It is really sad to read all of things in the media and know that only a minimal amount of what really happened is told. No one will ever know the pain the victim in this case has suffered, nor will many care. It appears the focus has been on POOR MRS MORRIS and poor teachers family, to me that is a shame. This youths life has been completely changed by a mistake that should have never happned or been pursued. I feel for this boy and for his family, I wish more people would take that into consideration. She got 30 days in jail/15 weekends in jails so it wouldn’t disrupt HER life………what a shame!!
Guys are different than girls. When it comes to high school boys, no male or female teacher really has authority them them. I know from experience – I did a few female teachers in my day. I didn’t believe they were committing a crime or I was a victim. As I look back, if anyone is the victim, it’s the teachers.
She will spend 15 weekends in jail which will come to 30 days.
i like 2 know why woman get a slap on the wrist-and guys do 10-15 years?> why is that? what an unfair system/my motto is-you play- you pay. regardles.this is such a messed up country…and this one got 30 days? or a bunch of weekends?
Well she got 30 days. Wow. If she had been Chris Lynn Morris, male teacher. She would probably be doing 5-10 years in prison.I guess it pays to be a female sex offender.
I will never, for the life of me, figure out how come these young boys who are the recipients of these sexual favors, find it necessary to turn on their benefactor. Why are they not defending them by refusing to utter even one word. Man-up boys!! It’s not your part to hurt them, but to protect them.
Why didn’t this stuff happen for me when I was in high school? Most of my teachers were hags but come on.
I absolutely agree with you John. Female teachers do seem to get a much lighter sentence than any male offenders. Our society seems to have a double standard on this issue, yet research shows that male victims can be even more adversely affected than female victims because they are expected to be “proud” and it is part of “being a man.” We wonder why so many young people do not respect authority figures, yet with teachers like this as “role models” (not) how can anyone expect them to take authority seriously? I do not know this woman and I certainly do not feel it is my position to sit in judgement of her or anyone else. That said, I feel strongly that we need to be paying a little better attention to who has access to our kids, specifically educators and others in a position of trust. Mentally healthy adults do not seek sex from teenagers. Period. As you so appropriately pointed out, many people will suffer from this teacher’s behavior…the boy, his family, the teacher’s students, her husband and her children. Imagine what these children will hear about their mother. Very sad.
She was my daughter’s soccer coach for 3 years. The sad thing was she did care about the students, and went out of her way to help them. She was very pretty and seemed like one of the high school girls herself. Maybe because she was so young and I saw her approached many times by high school boys, who openly flirted with her right out on the field during soccer games. She was the mother of 2 young kids, and her husband was there at the soccer games many times, and supported her. There didn’t seem to be any marital problems. Sometimes being a young mother, and having all the responsability of being a teacher and a coach, and wife, can be a thankless job. I know she was popular with the girls and boys. Probably being around all those teenagers constantly seeing and talking about all their relationships she felt like she was one of them, and maybe yearned to have that excitement again. I am not making excuses for her. What she did was wrong, and there is no excuse for it. I blame our society and media for most of it. How many movies have been made about this very theme older women seducing younger boys to fulfil their sexual fantasies, and older men turned on by teenage girls. It is never black and white, sometimes it is the youth pursuing the adults, sometimes the other way around, usually consentual. Unfortunately, women who are the abusers are often glamourized by the media and receive light sentences or get off completely based on their looks or sexuality, where most if not all men are labeled perverts, and sexual predators. When was the last time you saw extensive media coverage about a male abuser? The media knows what sells. The Hollywood glamour of it all never shows the longterm consequences of it all. What about this woman’s husband, what about her 2 little children, what about all those soccer girls and students she was a role model for. What will it teach them if she gets off with a light sentence.
Mrs. morris was bomb, she was always their for me when i needed help
much love to her family and friends
I know both the teacher and the boy. I think they are both nice people and i do feel some sympathy for the boy. I think Mrs. Morris knows better. She is in a position of trust and should respect that. sure she was a nice teacher, but she crossed the line. She is married with kids, what was she doing fooling around with a 17 year old?
Saw like 5 desks in her room, “Long live Mrs. Morris” “Free Mrs. Morris” Rather depressing really..
wrong. she may be a great person, but she is old enough to know better.
I knew her she is one of my teachers she is a good person and a great teacher. I also the know the boy and he is also nice. Im not saying she’s guilty because honestly i dont know. but ethier way she is a great person