Michael Tamayo
Posted by: Webmaster in Florida, Hall of Shame, High Profile Cases, High Schools, History, ME-FV
Michael Tamayo, 28, a history teacher at Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Florida has been arrested on charges alleging custodial sexual battery after being accused of having a sexual relationship with a female student from October 2005 through February 2006.
The alleged victim, a 16-year-old girl, was a junior and a student of Tamayo’s and has since graduated from the school.
According to the girl, she and Tamayo developed a friendship at school, which evolved into a flirtatious relationship. She was having problems at home and confided in Tamayo. She began visiting him at his home, and a physical relationship ensued.
When the girl ended the relationship, she said that Tamayo became very emotional and indicated that he wanted their relationship to be long term. She told detectives that she ended the relationship because she didn’t feel it was appropriate to be involved with her teacher, but that Tamayo tried to make her feel guilty by not speaking to her and being cold to her.
Following his arrest Wednesday evening Tamayo was released on $15,000 bond with the condition that he wear an ankle monitor.
Tamayo’s attorney stated that Tamayo denies the allegations and “is ready to get it resolved”.
Update 6/03/07
This case is taking some interesting turns. The following comes from an updated report by WCTV, referenced below:
Just as the school year comes to a close, a sexual harassment case opens up. Authorities say it all started after a Rickards student confided to a staff member she has been sexually involved with her teacher.
“My office has launched an independent investigation of these allegations, so we can get to the bottom of why these claims are just now being brought forth some one and a half years later,” said Tamayo’s attorney, Matt Willard.
Detectives say the victim told them she was scared to come forward early on, but now realizes their relationship was wrong. Tamayo’s attorney has entered a not guilty plea.
Just last month WCTV brought you the story of Cedrick Brooks, the school’s baseball coach. He was found guilty of fondling a 14-year-old student in his office, and forcing her to fondle him.
Just a question.
Call it food for thought.
Could we be seeing another “Duke Rape Case” in the making?
The reasoning behind that question resides in two statements reported in the media as originating with the alleged victim and obviously being passed along by third parties.
Here are the two statements:
(1) She told detectives that she ended the relationship because she didn’t feel it was appropriate to be involved with her teacher,
(2) Detectives say the victim told them she was scared to come forward early on, but now realizes their relationship was wrong.
Either the alleged victim’s statements to police are being misquoted by police spokespersons, misreported by the media or they are simply contradictory.
The first statement attributed to the alleged victim dates to the termination of the alleged relationship in February, 2006. The latter statement to the current time frame. They both can not be correct representations of when the alleged victim realized a teacher-student relationship is wrong.
Update 7/17/07:
Michael Tamayo has has submitted his resignation to the Leon County School District.
Update 7/18/07:
And the Leon County school district has accepted Tamayo’s resignation.
07/03/08 - No Contest Plea
Today in Leon Circuit Court Michael Tamayo, in a plea deal with prosecutors, entered a “no contest” plea to sexual battery, a second-degree felony. He was originally charged with custodial sexual battery, a first-degree felony.
Formal sentening is set for July 16 and under the terms of the plea deal Tamayo will be sentenced to four years in prison and six years of probation.
07/16/08 - Sentencing
Michael Tamayo was sentenced Wednesday afternoon to four years in prison and six years of sex offender probation.
References:
Teacher Sentenced in Sex Case (07/16/08)
Former Teacher Headed to Prison on Sex Charges (07/03/08)
Former Rickards High teacher pleads no contest on sex charge (07/03/08)
Teacher resigns after sex accusation
Teacher Accused of Sex with Student Resigns (7/17/07)
Tallahassee Teacher Accused of Having Sex with Student
Local teacher faces sex charge
Rickards teacher accused of sex with student
Michael Tamayo’s class web page
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Entries (RSS)
July 14th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Tamayo, regardless of what happened, you were a good teacher. All those essays, terms quizzes, reading quizzes, the study questions, document analyses and whatnot, the worst history poem contest, the IAs, the review sheet contest, and the lectures paid off in the end. I aced the HL History exam by doing all that work and I earned my IB diploma when I thought I had failed. I know you will never read this but I would like to thank you for everything, for the good times and for the bad times.
Ave atque vale, sir. Godspeed.