Holly Hatcher Statutory Rape Case

First-year teacher, Holly Hatcher, was recently arrested for statutory rape. The teacher had recently been assigned to teach at Gallatin High School. She was arrested after a joint investigation by the Sumner County Sheriff's Department, the Sumner County School Board, and the Gallatin Police. Nashville Police started the investigation after they were tipped off by the Gallatin Police Department. She was not arrested at the school and she also wasn't put on administrative leave. This all happened after she admitted to having the relationship with the 17-year-old student on six different occasions in the past two months. She was charged with three counts of statutory rape by an authority figure. She was released Thursday after paying a $6,000 bond in Davidson County and a $15,000 bond in Sumner County.

Holly Hatcher is a 25-year-old recent graduate from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee. She recently taught Social Studies at Mt. Juliet High School during the 2005-2006 school year. She resigned from that school at the end of that school year. She had been hired in August 2007 by Gallatin High School as a Social Studies teacher. She was also hired on there as the new girls softball and volleyball coach. Both Wilson and Sumner County schools both agree that she had no previous record.

The student that she was convicted of raping was a 17-year-old male. Was this rape or an actual relationship between the teacher and her student? It was said that he drove to her Nashville home on all six occasions that she was charged on. Many people argue and say that most 17-year-old teenagers are having sex anyway, but the fact that she was his teacher and a few years older makes it even worse. The fact that she is an authority figure causes these charges to be a misdemeanor. Hatcher later resigned after posting bale and being released from jail.

There are many other cases just like this one. Most people are probably familiar with the case against Pamela Rogers from McMinville, Tennessee. It happened back in February 2005. She pleaded no contest to having sexual intercourse or oral sex with the 14 year-old student. The judge sentenced her to eight years, but later lowered the sentence as long as she didn't contact the boy, or his family, and she couldn't use the Internet. Six months after the judge did this she was ordered to serve out the rest of her sentence after she sent the boy photos. The prosecutors also brought up the new charges she now has to serve ten years.

Also a more serious case that had a very unfortunate outcome. Erin McLean of North Knoxville, a former student teacher of West High School. She had an affair with a male student, authorities say. In March, the student who was 18, was shot to death by McLean's husband. He did so outside of the couples home in Knoxville. The teacher and student had met in 2006 when he was a student there. The teacher is said to be living in California and her husband was let out on bond with a charge against him of second degree murder.

In conclusion, if these women weren't teachers would the charges be as harsh? If they were male teachers would they be worse? A lot of people would argue these two points. There are probably couples all over the world who have a major age difference. Not that I agree with what the teachers are doing I am absolutely for them being punished. Although, I know of lots of couples where one of the members are still a minor. Also, why are some of the cases being punished and taken more charges than others? I believe a lot of these cases it really depends on the town and the jury and the judge. Why the these teachers do this I couldn't tell anyone. They surely go through classes and even meetings that tell them to help the students in homework or math problems. I doubt if there are ever classes that ever tell them to help the student relieve stress by performing sexual favors.

SOURCE:

http://www.huliq.com/39710/teacher-holly-hatcher-charged-with-statutory-rape

http://www.wsmv.com

http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=26335&cat=15

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/oct/21/east-tennessee-cases/