Pantagraph.com | News | Sexual misconduct charges on the rise in Central Illinois

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

to Devastated Mom wrote on Oct 21, 2007 11:41 PM:

" Don't let a few bad apple ruin your religion. First of all, these crimes are all across demographics, not unique to Catholic priests (though the media would have you think otherwise) And until there is some proof otherwise, your troubled son's word is just as good as the priest. And next time you send letters out, don't send them for an organization known for wild accusations, it hurts your creditably. Not saying your son is lying, but I tend to trust a priest more than a troubled teenage boy. "

karen wrote on Oct 21, 2007 8:55 PM:

" I realize that most teachers, priests, and parents do not molest children. Those that do belong in prison. Those who cover for them and send them on to another school or parish belong in prison right next to the molester. All information should first be given to the police and then to the school or chiuch. Then see who steps up to do the right thing and what those results are. "

to the answer wrote on Oct 21, 2007 6:29 PM:

" We get it. The Earth is flat. God did it all. Moving on. "

Devastated Mom wrote on Oct 21, 2007 4:42 PM:

" I used to be the PERFECT Catholic until my child was molested by clergy. The cover up in the church is more than anyone realizes. They are allow to molest our children and get away with it. The catholic collar protects them from the law and jailtime. Most of these predators never are uncovered. They are with our children because no one STOPS THEM. If they were unit 5 teachers they would of been pulled away from children and schools, but Not Catholic Priests. They can rape children with no consequence. Please help me help my child and STOP the cover up! There are many victims and no one to hold the rapist countable. "

here we go wrote on Oct 21, 2007 4:12 PM:

" Todays Pantagraph is plagued with these stories. How long will it be before a Kindergarten teacher gets fired for giving her/his students a hug? Obviously if a teacher is having sexual relations with a student, that teacher should be disciplined and possibly charged with a crime. However, if the student is 16,17,18,etc... and the relationship is not forced, that student knows exactly what their doing and that it is wrong. They have choice to make, either do it and keep your mouth shut or don't do it and tell someone who is in a position to do something about it. You can't tell me a 17 year old doesn't know it isn't ok for his/her teacher to make sexual advances toward them. "

Despite wrote on Oct 21, 2007 3:06 PM:

" What the Pantagraph tries to suppress, You are STILL not facing the facts. By far the MOST of these cases involve the CLOSE RELATIVES and HAPPEN AT HOME!. "

A Teacher wrote on Oct 21, 2007 2:25 PM:

" I agree with all the comments that abusive teachers should be removed. It makes me sick!!!! There should be a zero tolerance in all cases, whether in school or not. (Concerning cameras...I have asked for one for years. I have nothing to hide and it would help show parents what is really happening. Distrust in teachers has grown...so when I call home and report that Susie is misbehaving, I can have evidence.) I do have a few questions. Is this a problem growing in schools or is it a growing problem in society? Or, as writer said, do we just speak up more today than years ago? As a teacher I have seen an increase of sexual misconduct between students. Where are the students learning these behaviors? Home or school? I have a feeling that sexual abuse has increased across the board. There is good and bad everywhere. Just a few thoughts……thank you. "

the answer wrote on Oct 21, 2007 1:27 PM:

" is homeschooling "

Stop being so cheap! wrote on Oct 21, 2007 12:28 PM:

" Maybe if you penny pinching taxpayers would be willing to pay more taxes to increase teacher salaries, this wouldn't happen. But, no, you people want to keep teacher salaries as low as possible. So, this is what you get. "

DUrham wrote on Oct 21, 2007 11:47 AM:

" I am glad this article was finally published. People need to know that the molestors and rapest aren"t just in the schools but in our churches and neighbors. This isn"t only about teachers it is about clergy and the Catholic Cover Up. This religion has turned their faces to the victims and their families. They have allowed the abuse and are working with our police departments to allow rapists to walk our streets. There is a BIG problem in the country that such cover ups are allowed and looked over. Our children are the ones that have to pay the price of self destruction and guilt. Our clergy should be and must be punished to the fullest. It is time to face what they have done for over 50 years. "

In the 70's... wrote on Oct 21, 2007 10:46 AM:

" this stuff was going on, just no one knew about it. In HS, we had a teacher dating a student. I'm sure there were others that we just didn't know about. "

How About a change wrote on Oct 21, 2007 9:57 AM:

" It's about time we Americans realize if registering for Firearm ,Post offices ,and Law enforcement officer and Airport screeners are subject to Federal background checks , Then Why Not a teacher? for they are entrusted with our most prized position our children. Is a peice of mail more iimportant? some may slip through but far many would not even apply knowing that they will go under a micrscope of all their adult activities, this would eliminate being able to jump from state to state . "

To:Long gone.... wrote on Oct 21, 2007 9:43 AM:

" Did you move to. Arkansas? Home of the peeps "Chicken" birthing and mutilation camps. Which state is the safest? Mexico or Canada. Would you like to buy a Time on Mars? "

just a thought wrote on Oct 21, 2007 9:40 AM:

" I think that there needs to be strickter penalties for teachers who are found guilty of molesting and abusing our children. they are given a position of authority over them and if they use this authority to manipulate and abuse them they should never be given the opportunity to teach children anywhere. I think federal background checks may be helpful. There are many good teachers out there who truly do care and are professional but any means available to prevent abuse in our schools would be helpful. "

what? wrote on Oct 21, 2007 9:34 AM:

" Now wait a minute. Why do the men get more jail time than the women? Isn't this descrimination? A male student wants it more from his female teacher? Come on. What has happened to self control, personal responsibility? That female teacher knew exactly what she was doing. The kid was a minor period. Doesn't that teacher know how to say NO! Let's face it, pedophiles can't be rehabilitated. Lock them all up and just throw away the key! You let these people out and you end up with more victims! How many of our children need to be hurt because our laws don't protect the kids? When it comes to a 13 year old girl getting raped, the law just slaps her in the face. Change the laws so that our babies are protected. and let's face a few facts, no matter how old our babies get, they will always be our babies! "

open your eyes wrote on Oct 21, 2007 8:57 AM:

" This is a eye opener, Being a parent of boys who have gone through and presently go to unit 5 schools I have observed that schools profess zero tolerance but they have taken away any defense from children when they are verbally abused or otherwise. So if we as a people don't realize that Teachers are human beings with problems we will not ever be able to truly hear our children cry. for once they recieve a referrel from any said teacher, they are told by the disciplinary priniciple that the teacher is always right. now i admit there are some who are doing there job but children need someone who will investigate and truly have an open mind and evaluate every issue without saying the teacher is always right. "

to Wow Man wrote on Oct 21, 2007 8:44 AM:

" I don't have to send my children to church or parochial school, it is a choice. Versus public education where many have no choice on attending and I have no choice where my property taxes go. And the church has certainly had the same issues, but the percentage of those clergy is comparable to our schools. The clergy problem was that it was not addressed in the past and the were allowed to amass a terrible number of victims. But I would put the past years of the church up against the schools any day. We shouldn't justify bad behavior by pointing at other bad behavior. "

to long gone wrote on Oct 21, 2007 8:01 AM:

" if you are so eager to get out of central Il. why do you still read the pantograph.I'm sure where you moved to there are no problems at all. we could not be happier that you moved "

nothing has really changed wrote on Oct 21, 2007 7:50 AM:

" I believe that only the frequency of reporting has increased. The incidents themselves has always been. During the early 70's when I was in high school, I recall two different seniors who were having a "relationship" with one of the better-looking female teachers. Now when you hear about some stuff, you know there's other stuff going on that simply hasn't gotten out yet. "

Concerned wrote on Oct 21, 2007 7:34 AM:

" For your information: Gerald Huddleston was a Fairbury native and he taught Art in the Prairie Central school system in all three elementary schools, Fairbury, Forrest and Chatsworth. He is in jail. "

These are serious crimes wrote on Oct 21, 2007 6:18 AM:

" and shouldn't be taken as a joke. These young kids in grade school are being seduced by their teachers for God sakes. If we can't trust the teachers while our children are at school what are we to do? The Brady bill may not be much now but it's a start. Maybe a parents group should get a bill passed on what they feel should be the correct punishment when a teacher is found quilty of sexual misconduct with a student. Maybe they should loss their right to teach anywhere in America. "

Bluegrass American wrote on Oct 21, 2007 5:40 AM:

" Nothing has changed. Same things are going on, only there are "charges" now. I bet those teachers that pulled this kind of thing back when I was in school, are now sweating it out. (if they are still alive) I hope some of these people get the courage to bring it up to the States Attorney and do something about it. Back in the good ole days.....the teacher that pulled this sort of thing would not be wasting your tax dollars and anyones time in court. They would have been taken out behind the building and good ole Dad would have gotten his due for what had happened to his child. Yes, " Sexual Charges" are on the rise, not the misconduct of the teachers. "

To: "Long Gone"......... wrote on Oct 21, 2007 4:10 AM:

" Just because you've left Central Illinois does NOT mean you are not living near these people, whether they are teachers or not. They are literally everywhere. I live in another state now in a town that is like a drop of rain in comparison to the size of Bloomington and these people are everywhere. No one can be 'gone from this mess' because you don't know WHO they are. They might be your neighbors and if they don't tell you what they are, you just don't know. PLEASE still be diligent in watching your daughter; don't let your guard down just because you have moved. Illinois has far less of these people than the state I now live in. "

this is B.S.... wrote on Oct 21, 2007 2:33 AM:

" This is ridiculous. What type of screenings and background checks are being done on these perverts? Obviously not very good ones. Maybe they should start putting cameras in every classroom. Making these sick bastards register as sex offenders is fine and dandy, but how about locking them up and throwing away the key. Once they're in prison I'll bet they will get a taste of their own medicine. Letting them go free only allows them to travel from city to city and violate other children. Make the laws tougher. I see the same commerical everyday about tougher laws for driving w/o insurance, how about tougher laws for perverted sex offenders. Parents we need to unite and fight for our children because the system is not doing a very good job when it comes to this matter. "

WoW Man wrote on Oct 20, 2007 9:08 PM:

" Does this bill that Brady sponsors cover a catholic priest as well? "

Changing? wrote on Oct 20, 2007 9:04 PM:

" I have got to wonder if this type of thing is becoming more prevalent in schools? Or are victims becoming more bold in coming forward to police? Back in the "dark ages," when I went to school in Central Illinois this type of thing was unheard of? On the other hand, in those educators were Gods and whatever they said went, no questions asked. "

tim wrote on Oct 20, 2007 9:04 PM:

" and no more than at home either. "

Long gone.... wrote on Oct 20, 2007 9:03 PM:

" my daughter is long gone from this mess. I moved out of Central Illinois and we could not be happier. Have fun peeps! "

Stats wrote on Oct 20, 2007 7:41 PM:

" More sensationalism. Considering the number of teachers, the odds are very low that anything bad will happen. Brady's bill sounds like a very good idea. better communication between districts is important as well. Public schools aren't havens for sexual misconduct anymore than churches are. "

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