(08/21/08 – Initial BBT Report)
Forest Cascade Miles, 24, a former teacher at Empire Academy in Santa Cruz, California has been arrested on charges of sexual assault and molestation of two female students, ages 16 and 17.
Miles has initially been charged with unlawful intercourse with a minor, lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, sexual penetration with a foreign object and annoying or molesting a child.
Miles came to the attention of authorities when the parent of a 17 year old student at Empire Academy reported to police that Miles, was having a sexual relationship with his daughter.
Police in conducting their investigation contacted the school and learned that Miles had possibly been involved in inappropriate behavior with another 16 year old female student while teaching at the school.
Both girls have allegedly told investigators that they had a sexual relationship with Forest Miles.
Police say they are not sure if there are other victims and ask that anyone with information contact the Santa Cruz Police Department Investigations Section at 831-420-5820.
08/22/08 – Initial Court Appearance
Forest Miles made an initial court appearance this morning and pleaded not guilty to charges that he had sexual relations with at least two teenage students.
Miles reportedly told the judge that he had saved $10,000 in order to return to school. The judge told Miles in view of that he did not qualify for a public defender.
Miles was ordered to appear back in court on Tuesday with an attorney.
Miles remains jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.
08/26/08 – Miles To Be Released On His Own Recognizance
Forest Miles will be released on his own recognizance.
Reportedly Miles will likely be released on Thursday and is to live with his mother out of the county.
While free, Miles will be under house arrest and will be required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet.
The judge also ruled that Miles, who has been accepted to the spring semester at San Jose State where he planned to study applied physics, will be allowed to attend classes.
01/01/09 – No Contest Plea
Forest Miles pleaded no contest on Wednesday to felony charges of performing sex acts with a 16-year-old student.
In a plea agreement with the prosecution, Miles admitted to three charges in exchange for an indication he will not be sent to prison.
At sentencing on February 3rd, Judge Jeff Almquist will decide whether Miles receives jail for up to one year or probation for three years.
02/04/09 – Sentencing
Forest Miles was sentenced to a year in county jail and five years probation Tuesday.
The judge ruled that Miles will not have to register as a sex offender.
Miles was prohibited contact with the victim and with other minors who are not family members and Miles was prohibited use of Internet social networking sites.
Miles will begin serving his sentence at the end of his college semester in June. He was given credit for almost 180 days already served, mostly at home on electronic monitoring.
References:
Former Santa Cruz teacher sentenced to year in jail (02/04/09)
Former teacher pleads no contest to sex acts with teen (01/01/09)
Former Santa Cruz private school teacher charged with molesting students to be released (08/26/08)
Ex-Santa Cruz teacher pleads not guilty to molestation charges (08/22/08)
Former SC Teacher Accused Of Molestation (08/21/08)
A Man is Arrested for Sexual Assault and Molestation (08/21/08)
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If it’s true this other family was in fear for their lives for weeks before his arrest, that hardly confirms with the reports that the school had just found out.
If the underage girl wrote a nasty letter to that family, isn’t this exactly why these kinds of relationships are not appropriate and harmful to the minors involved? A young girl is asked to deal with very adult situations and her response can hardly be expected to be adult. It was the adult teacher’s job to guide this student, not seduce her. It was his job to pattern appropriate behaviors for her to follow. How is any teen suppose to act ‘adult’ in situations that are way beyond their understandings? Can a teenager be held accountable for the consequences of following the lead of a trusted adult who should have known better?
No one knows what the truth is, except for the three individuals involved. Two of those individuals are minor children. One of those individual is their adult teacher, who not only they trusted, but their parents trusted, as well as other students and staff at Empire. There are many who have been betrayed by these circumstances. The most accountable is Forest Miles. Other adults who knew of these ‘relationships’ but did nothing to intervene are also culpable. There are two girls who are victims.
I don’t think I understand quite what you’re saying.
Which family was Forest and the second girl harassing? What did he do that was so threatening to this family?
Regarding the Empire staff issue, I never meant to imply that they should be held accountable for the actions of Forest and the girl(s). Of course they made bad decisions. My problem is simply that Empire knew what was going on and claims ignorance in every forum the matter is discussed in. It strikes me as hypocritical when the main focus of their teachings is about maintaining honesty and integrity. Shouldn’t those who are aware and don’t say anything be held to some degree of accountability as well?
Forest Miles, the “good guy” that some of you claim to know had a family in fear for their property, lives, and well-being for weeks when he found out that they knew about him and the second girl. The girl also sent them a nasty letter, apparently seeing nothing wrong with the relationship up until the day he was arrested. These are two people who did something they shouldn’t have. For those of you who blame Empire, shame on you.
To characterize these kids as ‘misguided’ does them a disservice. Many of these kids came from home schooling situations or found themselves lost and overwhelmed in the heavily populated public school system. The kids at Empire are not bad kids, and like all kids they look to their teachers and other adults to guide them.
And therein lies the problem. Small schools have a certain intimacy that larger institutions lack. This intimacy allows everyone to know everyone else’s business, whether staff or student. Add in that the forced intimacy and the everyone knows everyone mentality, and you have a recipe for boundaries being overlooked and crossed.
I don’t know Mr. Miles personally, so I won’t comment on his specific actions, but I will commit on the general actions of him and the staff, and say that their job was to guide these students into making mature and logical decisions. However the relationship with Miles happened, he should have never taken off his adult/teacher role, and should have known better.
I have heard many rumors about the staff of Empire, that I will not disclose, but I have also heard many good things, and how Empire fulfills a need from many students who need a more relaxed and personable setting to learn. Is Empire any worse than any other school? Probably not. Do they need to take a hard look at the relations they’re building with these students, and examine how they need to take a step back? Definitely, yes.
In the end, there are at least two teenage girls who are confused and likely hurt by this situation. No matter whether they wanted the relationship or not, they were betrayed by Miles, because he should have told them that a relationship with him was not possible, just as he would have told them the consequences if they decided to drink and drive, steal a car, or other criminal activity.
For_The_Record,
I offer the same thanks, and I assure you it wasn’t a problem. However, I must say that I am somewhat taken aback by your words. You and I think very similarly, except you seem to be a tad bit more eloquent about it. Heh. Bravo.
Informant, I’d just like to offer you a thanks for your thoughts and words. I appreciate that you brought up the fact the the administration should be shouldering at least SOME blame here.
As a former student at Empire, I am more than aware of the personal relationships between faculty and students and how the boundry line is easily blurred. While I can’t speak for the atmosphere at the school during these occurances, the environment I was in did not exactly discourage inappropriate actions between students and staff. Granted, this was a place where unusal bonds were formed as a working alternative for those who didn’t function well with the anonymity of public high school. Still, I think it’s more than fair to say that the interactions that took place were beyond that scope and should be put under the same microscope as Miles.
Though he and I didn’t always get along, Miles is still someone I would not have hoped this would happen to. He is fully responsible for his actions and should be dealt with accordingly, however, I don’t appreciate that Empire has assumed no responsibility for this matter either. There is no way that nothing was at least suspected. During my time there a myriad of unlawful offences occured and each one of them was at least somewhere on the radar of the admin. To assume that they had no knowledge of the happenings between Miles and whichever student is almost an insult to their intelligence, although I’m sure they don’t mind. I just wonder how is it that they are constantly aware of students’ drug/sex/criminal habits – on and off campus – but had no idea of a supposed romance between Miles and any student. It sincerely hurts me that a place I once used to rely on for some semblance of moral guidance has turned into such a dishonorable institution. It saddens me more that the dishonor can’t even be placed at Miles’ feet; but instead must lay at the feet of those who are supposed to lead these misguided youth to better hopes.
I apologize for the utter rant and hope no one finds themselves too offended. I hope this debacle finishes promptly and with as much fairness as can hoped for.
Dear Empire Student,
This man who, apparently, didn’t deserve what he’s being put through knowingly broke the law. He knew it was ‘against the rules’, for lack of a better term. Not only that, but after he stopped fooling around with the first teen (he was her teacher during the alleged time of the accusations) he went right on to another. Whether or not it was consensual is not the matter at hand.
I will agree with you that 24 is not old. He is still a child in the eyes of many. However, in this particular situation, he was the adult. He crossed a very large line. You’re also right about the fact that when the girls turned eighteen all of this would have been legal. All this proves is that his self-control, when it comes to underage girls, is so non-existent that he couldn’t have even waited the couple of months (in one case) to two years (in the other).
Maybe the girls flirted with him. Maybe the girls instigated the entire situation. He was still the adult, and he should have said no. Are the laws flawed? Yes. Is a sixteen year old fully capable of making his or her own sexual decisions when it comes to their body? I believe so. Still, that does not give him the right to take matters in to his own hands.
One last thing. Your exact words were, “when she turned 18, and if they started dating then, there would have been no problem.” Again, you are right. /Dating/. I don’t see anyone complaining about the fact that he was dating two separate teenage students of his. When you look at the charges, do you see the words ‘candlelit dinner’ in any of them? How about ‘long walks on the beach’?
He broke the law.
End of story.
The webmaster DOES not, NOT, know the whole story.
I knew him personally, and he was a great guy. I happen to know that what the student in question and himself had was completely consensual. They started dating in the summer, he didn’t plan to go back to teaching. Plenty of 17-18 year old date older guys. It’s like some big “SCANDAL” because he was her FORMER teacher. This man didn’t deserve what he was put through. As for the second teen mentioned, she was very manipulative, and if she wanted something, she would do all in her power to get it. She was an over flirt.
Yeah yeah, put all that “IT’S AGAINST THE LAW, IT’S WRONG,” in my face. But when it gets down to it, when she turned 18, and if they started dating then, there would have been no problem.
This man is an amazing man. And anyone here who is posting that he is sick, he’s not.
Also,
24 is not old.
I could understand if he was 30.
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Empire Academy needs to seriously be looked into.
easter egg you must be cracked on crack. The truth is the truth and the lies are the lies. Interesting reading these comments.