Too feel devastated for the wife of the teacher who has run off to France with his 15 year old pupil?

[chipsandmushypeas]

What on earth went through his head when he decided to do this?! The poor woman has taken all her social networks down out of humiliation I presume. link

Crazy.

it's pretty much down to the school to find out whether something is going on. I think they brush a LOT under the carpet because the scandal if it comes out ends up being huge and lasting for ages

I'm not sure about that. I have a close relative who was a teacher all her working life. What you describe was her view of how things were many years ago, but not by the time she retired recently. My teacher friend confirms that.

Certainly the safeguarding training my relative got was very clear and comprehensive. Her school came down on a student teacher who was blurring the boundaries by socialising with sixth formers like a ton of bricks, and she had done enough teacher conferences etc to know that wasn't an exceptional reaction.

The sad fact is, these weak self-regarding losers always find a way, and if they meet the pupils outside school, who is to know?

We had a similar'ish case locally last year. The teacher was found out to be involved with a 17 year old pupil - it was discovered by a fellow pupil who was suspicious.

The teacher concerned lost his job/home/pension. He also was sentenced to 18 months in prison and was in all the national press. I was surprised locally by how many people felt sympathy for him.

I felt very sorry for the girl and his poor unsuspecting family but absolutely none for him.

I hope they find this girl and I hope he's also found. I'd be surprised if he didn't get a custodial sentence.

That poor girl. She is the person whose life will be ripped aprt by this. I am less concerned about the wife than her.

It doesn't MATTER if they have had a sexual relationship so far, the intent is there, and running away hads solidifed that intent. They haven't gone to Paris to play tiddlywinks.

All this 'he couldn't help himself'. Yes he fucking well could. He could have chosen to stop this at any point, yet didn't. He has no excuse, imo.

Oh and I agree with Eldritch. In the case I mentioned as soon as the school were aware they involved the police - would be madness not to.

The papers described him as a prolific blogger- hardly! A bit of straw-clutching to further sensationalise the story, I think

His urge to sleep with her over took everything.

To me that's all it boils down to.

I'm wondering whether there isn't some sort of law about taking minors out of the country without parental consent, to add to the crimes.

I know that I have always had to sign a letter of consent for the airlines, and deliver the child to the airport gate until the child was 16.

I know once my son was 16 I couldn't stop him leaving the country, but I was told that under the age of 16 airlines wouldn't take children without parent/guardian permission. I would have thought the same would apply to ferries.

After all, we all have to sign consent forms for school/scout trips etc.

His urge to sleep with her over took everything once again we don't know that they have had sexual relationship.

if they have fled to spain, the age of consent is 13, so no laws would be broken if they did sleep together

Eldritch, you're probably right but I think it depends on the school. I was roughly describing how it was at my school about 8 - 10 years ago when I was there. It probably depends a lot on the management. I think there are or were a worrying amount of teachers who think that a bit of flirtation with pretty young girls is one of the perks of the job (am thinking more of the old-school type who have probably retired now) - that was the impression we got.

No we don't know if they've slept together.

But I would bet my house they have.

If he wasn't interested in a sexual relationship I reckon he would thought twice before doing what he's done.

Don't you?

True BBFB. If a school has good leadership they are vigilant for this, and probably picky over who they employ in the first place.

I find your OP very odd.

You have searched for the wife on line. Why?

You are calling the paper "idiots" for quickly removing her photo. Why?

Still breaking the law of getting involved with a pupil, posting inappropriate sexual advances to said pupil and leaving the country with her without her parents' permission.

For starters.

I find your OP very odd.

I'm only surprised that the OP seems surprised that the wife has removed access to her website/Flickr and social networking sites. It is the first thing a sensible person does when a sensational story breaks. Also, the blog had a name that could have sent the DM, in particular, off on a very unhelpful tangent.

Of course he has broken some laws, but I don't think he should be accused for underage sex unless there is evidence.

It is an appalling abuse of a position of authority and trust by this man - he has destroyed his poor wife's life, this girl's life and damaged so many others (the girls family, his family, his wife's family). He is an adult, he is responsible for his actions - and should be held accountable when caught.

There was picture of the man and his poor wife in Metro this morning, from their wedding day, as well as of the girl. I can understand why the photo of the man and the girl are relevant but why on earth publish a photo of his wife? Her life isnt hellish enough right now?

Sadly, everyone becomes public property when this sort of story breaks. It's wrong but it's a fact.

Why are you so anxious to believe there is no sexual motive in this? It is starting to sound quite peculiar.

oh lets hope they are in spain then all will not be so bad after all

I find it strange McHappy that you keep bringing it back to they might not have had sex what difference does it make if he waits until she is 16 or takes her to spain he has groomed her for this reason they are not going away sight seeing

McHappypants, why are you trying to excuse him and argue away his criminality? Do you really think the man is after a platonic relationship? Having enticed her to run away to France? Jeez.

Of course there's a sexual motive. Even all the apparent feelings of being 'in love' are motivated by sexual desire, aren't they? I'm sure HE would say the sex part comes second and it's all a meeting of minds or whatever...but at the end of the day it's all about sex.

Many 15 year old girls are easily impressed. We all had crushes on unreachable celebrities when we were young and fantasised about meeting them and them falling in love with us.
From the link above, this bloke is a 'musician' with his own blog as well as her teacher.
He let her teenage crush become something real and ultimately sleazy because unlike any responsible teacher he let his inflated ego take over.
He is a creep of the highest order.

Because I belive in the courts and innocent before proven guilty.

There are pages and pages where he accused of underage sex, when it may or may not be the case.

but you think he groomed her is he not innocent of that until proven guilty

Yes, McHappy, but in these circumstances there is a strong inference that this is a romantic relationship between the two of them and there is therefore very likely some form of sexual contact. Not that I am being prurient about it, but that's the very strong likelihood.