Jose Fanjul
Posted by: Webmaster in Elementary Schools, High Schools, Language Arts, ME-FV, Middle Schools, Utah(09/09/08 - Initial BBT Report)
Jose B. Fanjul, 35, a language teacher at West High School in Salt Lake City, Utah has been arrested for allegedly having sexual relations with a 17-year-old female student.
Fanjul was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on multiple counts of forcible sex abuse and forcible sodomy.
Allegedly the girl told investigators that she engaged in various sexual activities with Fanjul between March and July of 2008, both at his home and at the school.
Fanjul who was reportedly starting his fourth year at the school has been placed on administrative leave by the school system.
Reportedly Fanjul’s arrest was the result of the girl and her father working with the Salt Lake City Police Department’s special victims unit.
Fanjul received Utah’s No Child Left Behind 2007 American Star of Teaching award last October. The award is given out by the U.S. Department of Education each year. A recipient from each state is selected for the honor.
Just last night Fanjul appeared on KSL’s Talking Point television show to discuss a class he’s teaching on the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Last week, Marco Herrera, a former counselor at West High School, was sentenced to three consecutive 1 to 15 year prison terms for the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old female student of the school.
09/10/08 - Public Statement From School
The administration of West High School has released the following public statement regarding this case:
The West High School staff and administration take pride in the high quality of education we deliver, in the academic achievements of our students, and in the safe and caring environment we provide for our children. The entire school community is shocked, angered and saddened by the news regarding JB Fanjul. We are committed to the elimination of all improprieties within our school. Our staff has and will continue to receive regular training on district policy and state guidelines including appropriate conduct with students. We are also grateful to the Salt Lake City police department for their assistance in this situation and their dedication to keeping the West High School community safe. Students and faculty at West High have counselors available for guidance and support if needed, and we are proceeding with a normal school day today.
09/11/08 - Initial Court Appearance
Jose Fanjul charged with five counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse and five counts of first-degree forcible sodomy made his first court appearance today.
Bail for Fanjul has been set in the amount of $200,000.
The judge set his next court appearance for September 18th.
09/22/08 - Defense Attorney Calls Victim a “Predator”
Jose Fanjul’s defense attorney has called the Fanjul’s alleged victim a “predator”, saying that Fanjul was “targeted” by the alleged victim.
Webmaster’s note: Additional details from the September 18th hearing have become available. Please see the link below to the Salt Lake Tribune report dated 09/24/08 for details.
10/28/08 - Preliminary Hearing
A preliminary hearing today for Jose Fanjul resulted in his being ordered to stand trial on five felony counts each of forcible sexual conduct and forcible sodomy.
Fajul’s defense attorney Ken Brown maintained that “the allegations are based on the testimony of a witness who is not credible or believable”.
Despite the defense attorney’s contentions regarding the alleged victim the judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to go to trial.
A scheduling conference is set for November 10th.
11/10/08 - Court Appearance
A scheduling conference was held today for Jose Fanjul who pleaded not guilty to five counts of forcible sodomy and five counts of forcible sex abuse.
The judge scheduled a three-day jury trial beginning February 10th.
References:
West High teacher pleads not guilty to sex crimes charges (11/10/08)
Trial Ordered For Teacher Accused Of Sexual Relations With Student (10/28/08)
Girl, allegedly abused by teacher, was at the center of an earlier sex abuse case (09/24/08)
Defense attorney says West High teacher targeted by student (09/19/08)
Teacher faces judge on charges of unlawful sex with student (09/11/08)
Statement From School Administration (in PDF format) (9/10/08)
West High School Teacher Arrested for Sexual Activity with Student (09/09/08)
West High teacher suspected of sex with student (09/09/08)
West High teacher arrested for investigation of sex abuse (09/09/08)
Teacher arrested for having sex with student (09/09/08)
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November 12th, 2008 at 10:22 am
How can you label Mr. Fanjul a bad teacher. He is inocent until proven guilty. He was the best teacher I ever had. You get alot of (*** *****) teaching in the public school system, I know because I am victim of it. They get into teachinng for reasons unknown to me. This was the opposite of Jose Fanjule. He cared about each individual student, and their thoughts on the world. Most teachers teach strictly by the ciriculum, and prepare their students for meaningless tests, But Mr. Fanjul used a more philiosophical aproach. He taught students with the perspectives of the times, and had us debate each other to learn history, and why it happened the way it did. He had us watch movies that had a moral to the story, and we would discuss that moral in class. He was not just a teacher, but a mentor to his students, teaching us not just the facts, but the application of that wisdom history has, so that we as students were not just informed of history, but apart of the decisions on how to live our lives and not make histories mistakes by analyis of the past. Maybe he did have sex with that girl, but I do not beleive it was rape, maybe he did violate teacher code, but I refuse to beleive that he is a preditor. To put him on a website and label him a bad teacher I beleive is a shame to the website, because this is America and he is Inocent until proven guilty which makes this acusation a lie until proven truth. Lazey teachers, maliciouse teachers, and proven sex ofender teachers deserve such a label, but not a man who gave each student the time and care that they deserve, Not Jose Bernado Fanjul!
In keeping with site policies as outlined in the “Comments” page the last name of the person purported to have left this comment has been altered to an initial only by the site moderator.
Webmaster’s commentary: We have not called, labeled or otherwise designated Mr. Fanjul a bad teacher. The name of this web site is badbadteacher.com and that is the watermark that appears on the graphic of Mr. Fanjul.
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November 11th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Yep, she lied
October 10th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
she already admitted she lied about it. Fanjul is back home and she is a sick girl