‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain

Posted on | December 10, 2013 | 47 Comments

Ethel Anderson, 31, was once voted “Teacher of the Year” in Riverside, Florida. You might have thought that when prosecutors offered her a 15-year-sentence, the former language arts teacher at Mango Elementary would have known it was the best she could hope for:

A female teacher found guilty of having sex with a 12-year-old student has been sentenced to 38 years in prison . . .
Judge Chet Tharpe told Anderson in court that she manipulated the boy’s parents into believing he was safe and groomed the child for sex.
Anderson was charged with nine counts of molesting a student after it was discovered that she was having sex with a boy who was 12-years-old at the time. . . .
Anderson had denied the charges but her victim, now 14, took the stand in September to testify that the alleged abuse started four or five weeks into their tutoring sessions when she would kiss him and perform oral sex on him in her home.
He told the court: ‘I felt like she was a girlfriend, I loved her and she said that I was her boyfriend and she loved me.
‘She would rub on my legs, kiss on my ears, neck and stuff like that… We would tongue kiss.’ . . .
[T]he boy’s mother showed no signs of forgiveness.
‘Anger and hatred don’t even begin to explain how I feel about what you took from my son,’ the boy’s mother said in a statement read at the sentencing by prosecutors.
‘His innocence is lost forever.’

Thirty-eight years. Could have been just 15 years, if she had taken the plea deal, but the “Teacher of the Year” just wasn’t very smart.

Category: Crime, Education, Sex

Comments

47 Responses to “‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain”

MrEvilMatt
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:14 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain: Ethel Anderson, 31, was once voted … http://t.co/bH5shCNnag
CHideout
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:14 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain: Ethel Anderson, 31, was once voted … http://t.co/qNuITbH2tH
Lockestep1776
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:14 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain: Ethel Anderson, 31, was once voted … http://t.co/nhdfYbIP4J
Resista38176897
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:14 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain: Ethel Anderson, 31, was once voted … http://t.co/dvbDeFvxTk
Citzcom
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:14 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain: Ethel Anderson, 31, was once voted … http://t.co/91gJvpvTz9
jwbrown1969
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:14 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain: Ethel Anderson, 31, was once voted … http://t.co/vo12b5CTeF
rsmccain
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:21 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain http://t.co/scsINkWI7Q
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:26 pm

She wasn’t Kate Hunt’s teacher ever…was she?
rsmccain
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:28 pm

@GayPatriot Just so you know: Hetero predators are creepy, too. http://t.co/scsINkWI7Q
LADowd
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:31 pm

IIRC, #FreeKate learned that the hard way. “Teacher of the Year’ Learns… Always Take the Plea Bargain” http://t.co/R3z3ysHdcC by @rsmccain
thebeardedfool
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:33 pm

RT @rsmccain: ‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain http://t.co/scsINkWI7Q
rsmccain
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:33 pm

RT @LADowd: IIRC, #FreeKate learned that the hard way. “Teacher of the Year’ Learns… Always Take the Plea Bargain” http://t.co/R3z3ysHdcC…
rsmccain
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:35 pm

@LADowd Yep. Nobody wants to force the “consenting” minor to testify. If they offer a deal, TAKE the deal. http://t.co/xlYsUo7up6
LADowd
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:36 pm

RT @rsmccain: @LADowd Yep. Nobody wants to force the “consenting” minor to testify. If they offer a deal, TAKE the deal. http://t.co/xlYsUo…
screwtape1a12
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:43 pm

RT @rsmccain: ‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain http://t.co/scsINkWI7Q
screwtape1a12
December 10th, 2013 @ 5:47 pm

RT @rsmccain: @GayPatriot Just so you know: Hetero predators are creepy, too. http://t.co/scsINkWI7Q
ThomasD
December 10th, 2013 @ 6:00 pm

She’ll still be out before he graduates college.
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 10th, 2013 @ 6:07 pm

I assume you are talking about parole/early release? What would be the time period in Florida for that on these charges?
LN_Smithee
December 10th, 2013 @ 6:19 pm

I hope someone — like, for example, Judith Reisman or Christina Hoff Sommers — can do a study to determine if sex between female teachers and male students experienced a spike after the successful marketing of the Mary Kay Letourneau affair into an ersatz Romeo and Juliet tale.
GayPatriot
December 10th, 2013 @ 6:31 pm

RT @rsmccain: @GayPatriot Just so you know: Hetero predators are creepy, too. http://t.co/scsINkWI7Q
Calvin Everhart
December 10th, 2013 @ 6:34 pm

Morals, What happened to morals? I don’t like the way our society is headed! We need to do a 360% turn for sure!
Dana
December 10th, 2013 @ 7:04 pm

Our honored host wrote:

Could have been just 15 years, if she had taken the plea deal, but the “Teacher of the Year” just wasn’t very smart.

She pretty much proved that she wasn’t very smart when she decided that it would be a good idea to fellate a 12-year-old boy. This was simply confirmation.
Dana
December 10th, 2013 @ 7:05 pm

No. If she had been, she’d have been molesting a girl instead of a boy.
JoyKeller1
December 10th, 2013 @ 7:13 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain http://t.co/s2iFbl2asd
Rosalie
December 10th, 2013 @ 7:18 pm

No one in his/her right mind likes the way our society is headed. It’s scary. My kids have kids of their own now. It’s a different world. I pray a lot.
FenelonSpoke
December 10th, 2013 @ 7:24 pm

But talk with leftists-even ones in education- and they will insist that these kinds of incidents are but a tiny number ,while railing about the pedophiles in the RCC. The pedophiles in the RCC are sinful and a total disgrace to the clergy. However, the number of teachers and coaches who do this kind of thing is not a tiny number at all and even one is far too many.
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 10th, 2013 @ 7:33 pm

I was being sarcastic, but in real life a lot of these predators go both ways. Which shows this is less orientation than damaged goods (who want to then damage others).
Professor_Why
December 10th, 2013 @ 7:43 pm

‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain http://t.co/k0JQ6MeVE3
BobBelvedere
December 10th, 2013 @ 8:15 pm

RT @rsmccain: ‘Teacher of the Year’ Learns a Tough Lesson: Always Take the Plea Bargain http://t.co/scsINkWI7Q
cmdr358
December 10th, 2013 @ 8:31 pm

Umm….wouldn’t that put us back on our current course Captain ? :-
concern00
December 10th, 2013 @ 8:39 pm

…and the deviants are already popping up in the comments on the referred story…

“at 12 years old he knew what he was doing…”
Zohydro
December 10th, 2013 @ 9:45 pm

Not taking the first (or the second) plea bargain worked out rather well for the Blessed St Kate…
Blunderbus
December 11th, 2013 @ 12:09 am

This is one of the most depraved child sex stories I’ve heard in quite some time and because UK sentencing guidelines are so much different than hours he could be out in less than 20 years:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2520670/Paedophile-Lostprophets-singer-Ian-Watkins-begged-female-fan-abuse-10-year-old-daughter-offered-DJ-birthday-party-sleep-girl.html
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 11th, 2013 @ 12:40 am

We need better education on the compass orientation and geometry too!
trangbang68
December 11th, 2013 @ 1:02 am

I’ve always heard the dumbest students become teachers because they can’t do anything else, I guess they’re also the biggest pervs and creepos. Bring back the stocks. Stick the “teacher of the year” in them and let us pelt her with rotten tomatoes and eggs and flaming bags of dog crap.
Zohydro
December 11th, 2013 @ 1:16 am

I’m not easily sickened, but this case…

Sentencing is on 18 Dec and the investigations continue… I note some of his crimes occurred in the US… It’s a shame we can’t have at him!
concern00
December 11th, 2013 @ 2:14 am

This stuff is becoming de rigueur and the apologists are barely a step behind defending the perpetrator. No f**king slippery slope my arse.
Adjoran
December 11th, 2013 @ 3:07 am

I blame the public schools.
Adjoran
December 11th, 2013 @ 3:11 am

Statistically, a child is far more likely to be molested by a public school teacher than by a Catholic priest.

The Church’s scandal was covering up, moving and reassigning the suspected priests. It was universally and rightly condemned, and the Church admitted its wrongdoing.

Unions fight tooth and nail for teachers who are their members even after they are convicted, not just accused, and yet there is no outcry.

I’ll bet this woman is a member of either NEA or AFT.
Adjoran
December 11th, 2013 @ 3:17 am

Kate was screwed, blued, and tatooed by her own words from the first. The plea offers were gifts to make the publicity go away, but she and her family convinced themselves they could win her a walk with a PR campaign.

She might never even have been charged if she were smart enough to know you NEVER, EVER talk to the police. PERIOD.

Even an innocent person who admits to nothing can provide incriminating evidence against himself if his statement conflicts with a witness statement, if the witness is mistaken. http://youtu.be/6wXkI4t7nuc
Zohydro
December 11th, 2013 @ 7:28 am

We shall soon see how “screwed, blued, and tatooed” she really is…

I wouldn’t be surprised íf she holds her first post-release presser before Christmas!
Calvin Everhart
December 11th, 2013 @ 8:54 am

Sorry 180, what was the dude on Gilligan Island, one way felman!
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 11th, 2013 @ 12:05 pm

Not talking the police depends on the circumstances. In a missing person case (such as a spouse or child where you may be a suspect), you fully cooperate because time is critical (especially if you know you are not the guilty one, even if cooperating puts you at risk) But that is a limited exception (which you hope you will never face). Other than that you never ever talk to the police without first talking to a top notch criminal defense lawyer.

And as the boy scouts say: Be Prepared. Everyone should ask around and find out who the most respected criminal defense attorney is in their neighborhood or town and have that person’s name and number available, just in case.
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 11th, 2013 @ 1:16 pm

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2013/12/11/ohio-teacher-quits-after-nude-photo-found-online/ This teacher got booted for an accidential picture (granted it was a private Christian school): Which goes to show the rule every person needs to understand– naked selfies are always a bad idea.
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 11th, 2013 @ 1:18 pm

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/sen-lamar-alexander-s-chief-of-staff-put-on-leave-following-child-pornography-allegations-20131211 Oh oh, Lamar Alexander’s chief of staff?
concern00
December 12th, 2013 @ 3:02 am

You seem to have more reincarnations than Doctor Who. 😉
Zohydro
December 12th, 2013 @ 8:56 am

I don’t do much more than whine about homosexual “marriage” (and related issues) on these forums, which I’ve been doing for several years now… I’ve been banned, censored, and shut down more times than I can count! “Reincarnating” is just habit now… I do have the common courtesy of having only one active “persona” at a time though!