Dumb Teacher
Kanesa Hopkins, 31, a math instructor who was voted 2007 Teacher of the Year by her fellow teachers at Westville Middle School, South Carolina, was arrested this week and jailed for having a sexual relationship with a female student. Hopkins was charged with two counts of committing a lewd act upon a child under 16 and three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.
The sexual relationship with the student began in 2003 when the girl was 14. Hopkins had been both the girl’s math teacher at school and her Sunday school teacher at church.
Their sexual relationship appears to have ended a few years ago, but the girl kept the “love letters” she and Hopkins exchanged and gave copies to the police. When confronted with the letters, Hopkins made a statement and was arrested.
An incident like this must strike fear and anger into the heart of every lesbian and gay teacher.
As to the “why” a 27-year-old woman would become sexually involved with a 14-year-old girl is a little beyond me. Maybe she was immature, and the girl was old for her age – who knows? I’m beginning to think inter-generational love is a little more common that generally thought.
But for whatever reason, I think it was totally wrong of Hopkins to fondle or have sex with a teenager. Adults need to keep their hands off kids in high school and younger; and teaching professionals should keep their hands off their students. Period.
I also think the girl’s parents were as dumb as a brick. Where were they when this was going on?
