Teacher Melissa Weber Accused of Sex with a Student

Melissa Weber, a 27-year-old teacher of Queens, NY, is being charged on seven counts of rape, 14 counts of sexual abuse and child endangerment, according to various media reports. Authorities believe that from April 13 to May 14, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., Weber was meeting with her 14-year-old student to have sex in a JSH classroom. The boy's mother, a PTA member, was told by someone in the school about the alleged sexual affair between her son and Melissa Weber. The mother allegedly found calls and text messages between her son and Weber, one stating for the boy to erase his phone. If Melissa Weber is convicted she is facing up to seven years in prison.

As a mother of a young boy, this story disturbs me. A parent should not have to worry about sending their child to school and being in danger of any kind. There are actions that we as parents can take to try and stop a situation like the one with Melissa Weber and her 14-year-old student from happening.

Communication between parent, child and teacher could possibly keep an incidence like this from happening. It was stated that the student was meeting with Melissa Weber after school hours. As a mother I would be contacting the teacher wanting to know why my child was having to stay after school and stop by "unannounced" to see if I could help.

The school could help keep situations like this from happening by coming up with a system that lets parents and teachers know what child is staying after school on what day, what room and why. Keeping a log of this information may discourage a teach / child relationship for the reason being that they have a highly chance of being caught.

We need to inform our children of situations like the one with Melissa Weber. Show our children the news coverage and newspaper articles. Let them know that what Melissa Weber and this teenager did was wrong and the consequences that they both are facing are not pleasant.

For a student and a teacher, such as Melissa Weber, to think it is okay and not be afraid of being caught having sex on school grounds proves that the system needs to have a few stricter rules. Installing cameras in classrooms could help prevent a situation such as this one. Installing cameras in every classroom could get expensive but putting them in a few rooms that the teacher and student can only be in after hours, making other rooms off limits. A student and teacher would be less likely to have sexual contact during school hours, for the fear of being caught.

Overall, we need to instill good values in our children let them know that what Melissa Weber and her 14-year-old student is morally wrong. Informing our children that this can hurt our family, friends, themselves and most of all God.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/nyregion/29statutory.html?ref=nyregion