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Teacher confesses having relationships with students, invokes a constitutional right in her defense

At school, teachers are supposed to direct, shape, have a constructive influence on, and cultivate the minds of pupils who are young and still developing. However, this 47-year-old woman, who had previously worked as a teacher, abused her position of authority in order to have se*ual relations with two of her pupils. Carrie was a teacher of history, psychology, and social studies. In addition to those subjects, she coached junior varsity cheerleading and girls’ golf.

Reports say that she was taken into custody because she was suspected of having se*ual relations with two male students. According to the reports, she had sexual relationships with two students, one of whom was 17 years old and the other of whom was 18 years old. Carrie’s attorneys contended at the time that she had a constitutional right to have se* with the students. This was one of their main points.

The reason behind their argument is that anyone over the age of 16 without a specified infirmity is capable of consenting to se* under state law. At the time, she claimed it was a consensual relationship with the students. She then went on to argue that the prosecution violated her 14th Amendment right to privacy and equal protection.

Back then, Judge Glenn, who is now retired, said that a state law created in 2010 that prohibits school employees from having se* with students under 19 was unconstitutional.

However, the state appealed the judge’s ruling, thus causing the Court of Criminal Appeals to reverse it and order that the charges be reinstated against Carrie. Now she has pleaded guilty to one count of a school employee engaging in a se* act with a student under the age of 19. A second count has reportedly been dismissed by the prosecutors.

“We’re glad that it’s resolved, that it’s done,” District Attorney Courtney said. “This has been a long case, between getting it dismissed by Judge Glenn and going to the Court of Criminal Appeals and bringing it back [to Circuit Court]. It’s been a long process, and we’re just glad it’s done for the community and the victims in the case.”

Carrie did not negotiate a sentence, and her “blind plea” allows prosecutors “to argue what we think a proper sentence should be,” District Attorney Scott revealed. “And in this case, we believe that prison time is more than appropriate,” he said. “We think it’s appropriate not only as punishment for this defendant and her actions, but we think it’s appropriate to deter anyone in the future from violating this law.”

Carrie will be sentenced on July 1. If convicted, she will face up to 20 years in jail. In addition, she will also have to register as a se* offender.

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