This is weird right?

[think positive]

Just watched the doco on Mary Kay Fualaau nee Letourneau, and now im grappling with my social conscience I guess youd call it. I know darn well if this relationship was the other way around, id be horrified, disgusted, outraged, and yet even though this story should and does make me feel some of that, it doesnt seem as bad for some reason. Social conditioning? When i was about 20 a 15 year old who lived across the road from my horses paddock, took off with a married 30 year old dude, interstate, She had been carrying on with him against her parents wishes for a while. She did come back but i think took off again. I moved my horses and lost touch, but i remember talking with her, and being horrified at how she felt. I thought he was an old creepy dude! I wonder what happened to her, I cant even remember her name.
I kind of felt guilty at the end of the doco hoping they will sort out their separation, but im guessing and marriage with such a large age gap, 20 years, would get more difficult over time, and even more so when Shes older, as guys mature slower. He wants to party, Shes my age, so im guessing Shes more more once in a while thanks, let me chill"! Plus with all the publicity, that wouldnt help. Pretty amazing when you see how She managed to keep in touch with her older children. Though i cant fathom how she cost herself those precious 7.5 years with them, knowingly.

I was talking with my 22 year old about gay couples recently, and how my generation is for the most part socially conditioned to feel a certain way, and how it annoys me that my mind goes there, when i fully support Gay marriage, and get along fine with the gay kids I know. For the generation coming up now, they just dont see their gay friends any differently.

And then we started talking about race. It saddens me that even though I consider all races as equal, i still see in my mind the differences.

So i did a search to see if the subject of Mary Kay had come up here, and some how found this thread. Some of the answers may gave in the doco, "ï didnt know it was illegal!"' "other teaches should no better now because my case is notorious" they just sound like excuses to me.

Id still like to think this teacher in this thread just liked footy, or wanted to be involved with all the kids. But I admit, if one of my kids male teachers had of shown up to netball, i would have wondered.... So is that on me? Or is that the way I was brought up? has it changed? should it change? uncomfortable conversation with my self!!

[stui magpie]

Mary kay what?

[think positive]

[stui magpie]

OK, nup. 12 years old, way too young.

[think positive]

[stui magpie]

Dunno. I don't see a difference whether the teacher was male or female, 12 and 13 is just too young.

There were 2 girls in my year 12 grade who were on with (much) older blokes, but both were over 17.

One of them was on with the art teacher who's wife worked in the school library. The other was on with the owner of a local business where she'd been working part time. I thing his wife caught them and took a huge chunk out of his wallet.

[think positive]

[David]

I think I've read about that story before, and yeah, it's sad. I think it's okay to condemn the crime – and to recognise the necessity that it be a crime – while simultaneously acknowledging that suffering is not always inherent in the nature of the crime committed (particularly when the harm is psychological rather than physical), but dependent on other factors; not everyone reacts the same way, and what's awful and traumatic for 95% of the population might be less so for someone else (and people have a right to process their victimisation as they see fit).

While we need to dispense with harmful gender stereotypes in cases like these (girls are victims, boys are gagging for it), I don't think there's anything wrong with acknowledging the role of gender as one of several factors in the extent of harm and victimisation. How could it not be?

[HAL]

A lot of practice.

[think positive]

[swoop42]

To be honest I often wonder who is the one actually doing the reporting if a female teacher is getting it on with one of her male students.

I doubt it would be the teenage boy involved all that often as I'd suggest he's to busy having the time of his life.

[think positive]

[HAL]

No really, it's true.

[think positive]

Sure is Hal!

Be really easy for male teachers, I had a mad crush on my home room teacher in form 1, so I was only 11, he was young, stubble, fit, dimples, blonde, longish hair, gravelly voice, Mr James. And for some reason I know he lived in Cardigan st Carlton! I don’t even know where that is! The there was my pony club instructor, but I was 20 then. He’s a face book friend now! So is his missus!

All the boys had a crush on our physics teacher, simon Crean’s wife carol, ugh, she was a bitch of a teacher, screamed and yelled, but she wore a yellow shirt with no bra, I’m guessin* it was that and the fact there was a mad rumour she was having it off with the the biology teacher, Mr Boucher! He was cute! Probably why the girls hater her!

Cmon guys fess up, could a teacher have taken advantage of you?

[HAL]

Where was he born?