Female teacher has charges of sex with student dismissed by marrying him
Marital privilege means that the student cannot be compelled to testify against teacher – making it very difficult to prove case in court
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
A former high school teacher in Jasper County, Missouri has reportedly had a charge of alleged sexual contact with a student dismissed after she married him.
Baylee Turner, 26, was charged in February 2019 with having sexual contact with a male student after the case was investigated by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, The Joplin Globe reported.
Ms Turner was in her first year of teaching English at Sarcoxie High School when she faced allegations that she had had sex with a student in January 2019, prompting her resignation.
Before starting to work at the high school, she had taught the middle school in the school district for two years.
The Sarcoxie School Board then voted to petition the state of Missouri to revoke her teaching licence.
Assistant Prosecutor Nate Dally told the paper that the charge against Ms Turner was dismissed after she married the student. Ms Dally said marital or spousal privilege means that the student cannot be compelled to testify against Ms Turner, making it very difficult to prove the case in court.
Ms Dally said Ms Turner had surrendered her teaching licence, which was the top concern for the office of the prosecutor.
The probable-cause affidavit filed in Ms Turner’s case didn’t specify the age of the student she married.
Missouri statutes outlaw sexual contact between a student and an employee of the school district, including volunteers and officials, regardless of whether they are elected or appointed and regardless of whether the student is a minor or has passed the age for consensual sex.
Six young teachers have been accused of having sexual contact with a student in Southwest Missouri in recent years, according to The Globe.
Teachers and student teachers have also faced similar charges in Joplin, Webb City, Monett, Diamond and McDonald counties.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments