http://news.aol.com/article/female-teachers-charged-with-sex-abuse/634372(Aug. 21) - It seems like everyone's sexting these days -- sending nude or provocative photos of themselves via cell phone. So when a 28-year-old teacher fired off some 50 flirtatious texts over the course of a year, she included a topless photo of herself, police say.
The problem, authorities say, is the recipient. Michelle Simonson of Oxford Township, Mich., is accused of sending sexually explicit messages to one of her special education pupils, a 14-year-old boy. Her arrest earlier this month makes her one of an increasing number of female teachers around the nation being accused of preying on male students.
There are still far many more cases of male teachers being prosecuted for molesting female students. But the marked increase in the number of women being charged shows a cultural shift. Once, society tended to wink at the thought of a sexy female teacher seducing lusty schoolboys. Now, a teacher hot for her students is seen as a sex offender.
"Until recently there haven't been a lot of people who thought of this as a problem," said Karen Sternheimer, a professor of sociology at the University of Southern California. "We are so much more aware about sexual abuse than even 20 years ago."
Two highly publicized cases in the 1990s did a lot to change the public's thinking. Pamela Smart, a media coordinator at a New Hampshire high school, became sexually involved with a 15-year-old student, then persuaded him and three of his pals to kill her husband. In Seattle, Mary Kay Letourneau was convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old student, Vili Fualaau, with whom she had two children. The case took an even more bizarre turn when Letourneau, after completing her prison term, married her victim.
Situations like these "shock the conscience," said Frederic Reamer, professor of sociology at Rhode Island College's graduate School of Social Work. "One of the reasons people are so fascinated by these cases is that they shatter the stereotype of the predatory male going after the female student."
Why would a woman like Letourneau -- undeniably attractive, in her 30s, married with four children -- become sexually obsessed with a child?
"There is no one-stop shopping explanation," said Reamer. "In some cases you have women who are emotionally immature people … They are more comfortable with younger people, who are less threatening.”
Reamer, who serves on the Rhode Island parole board, says some women who prey on children "have major psychiatric issues."
"Often they were sexually abused in their own childhood. They have trauma histories. They have difficulty relating to adult men because adult men were the perpetrators. Getting involved with a teenager is much less threatening," he said.
In other cases, he said, women may make bad choices because they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "Sometimes the drug and alcohol abuse and addiction will impair that woman's judgment," said Reamer. "She may cross the line with the 15-, 16-, 17-year-old."
A woman suffering from mental illness may go off the rails if she stops taking medication or experiences a change in her chemical balance. "When they are in the throes of psychosis, somebody's judgment is really, really impaired," Reamer said. "I've met women who have a history of schizophrenia and get involved in inappropriate relationships."
One thing that has fueled interest in some of these cases is that many of the women are considered good-looking. Debra Lafave, a Florida middle school teacher who admitted having sex with a 14-year-old student, was sentenced to house arrest and probation after her lawyer argued that she was just too pretty for prison.
"To place Debbie into a state women's penitentiary, to place an attractive young woman in that kind of hellhole, is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions," defense attorney John Fitzgibbons told the court.
"It’s the sexy, naughty teacher stereotype," said Sternheimer, author of 'Connecting Social Problems and Culture' (Westview Press). "It’s this fascination with the teacher who maybe fulfills some male fantasy, or at least part of a cultural fantasy."
Sternheimer said female sex offenders often get a break from the courts because they may be seen as lacking self-esteem, rather than being truly predatory. But these women are very manipulative, and they know how to work a vulnerable child, she said.
Many of the victims have home lives that are lacking. A parent may be absent, or there may be some other type of trouble at home. "I certainly wouldn’t want to say that it's the parents' fault, but those situations might open up some vulnerabilities," said Sternheimer.
"Here’s a kid who feels kind of needy, starved for affection, the nurturing parent is not in his life. This very appealing woman who's an authority figure comes along. That can be toxic," said Reamer.
Another type of victim, Reamer said, is an adolescent who seems mature beyond his years in some aspects. "He is flattered by the attention. Flattery can go a long way."
"An adult who thinks you're special" is a powerful lure for an adolescent, said Sternheimer. Children are trained to hold teachers in high esteem, she said, so the youngster may respond to inappropriate attention by thinking, "This is someone who I have been taught all my life to look up to and they're choosing me!"
The psychological damage to young victims can last for years. An adolescent may feel a sense of shame, and it may be a long time before he understands that he was exploited, Reamer said. And although the media does not name child sex abuse victims, everyone in the community usually finds out. This can expose the victim to teasing and mocking from his peers.
The adolescent may also resent his parents and authorities for ending his contact with the teacher. "Some of them are angry. 'Why did you take her away from me?’'" said Reamer.
The good news is that parents, school officials and law enforcement are increasingly sensitive to the potential harm, and they're much less inclined to look the other way than in the past.
In addition, said Reamer, technology can make it easier to catch offenders. The case against Michigan teacher Simonson will rest heavily on the inappropriate text messages she allegedly sent her special ed student.
New York City authorities said Melissa Weber, a social studies teacher accused of having sex in the classroom with a 14-year-old student, was arrested after the boy's mother found hundreds of calls and texts from the teacher on his cell phone. The last, unheeded text read: "Erase your phone."
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