Two Jr. High teachers accused of sex with same student

[diverg]

http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_11853476

Two Bountiful Jr. High teachers accused of sex with same student

By Steve Gehrke

And Jason Bergreen

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 03/07/2009 07:58:41 AM MST


Click photo to enlargeValynne Bowers, one of two Bountiful Junior High teachers accused of having a sexual relationship...«12»Two Bountiful Junior High School teachers are accused of sexually assaulting the same 13-year-old student, after their separate relationships with him spiraled from personal conversations to the exchange of sexual text messages and phone sex, authorities said.

On Friday, the Davis County Attorney's Office filed first-degree felony charges of rape and sodomy on a child against Linda R. Nef, 46, and Valynne Bowers, 39.

Nef, a Utah studies teacher and cheerleading adviser, and Bowers, who teaches math, each confessed to having sex with the student, said Bountiful Police Lt. Randy Pickett. Until recently, the two teachers did not know about each other's relationship with the same boy, Pickett said.

The charges

Valynne Bowers were filed after Nef arranged a meeting with police on Thursday and admitted having sex with the boy for more than a year, Pickett said. Their sexual relationship allegedly began in October 2007 and lasted until December 2008, he said.

During the meeting, Nef revealed Bowers' relationship with the boy, Pickett said. Bowers allegedly began having sex with him in December, and she also has acknowledged the relationship, he said.

Nef was booked into the Davis County Jail on Friday afternoon and has her first court appearance scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 27.

Bowers also was arrested and booked into the jail on Friday, Pickett said. She later appeared in court, where she waived her right to a preliminary hearing and

was ordered to stand trial. A felony arraignment in her case is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 16.

Nef, who began her career with the Davis County School District in 2004 as a physical education teacher at Taylor Elementary School, resigned from her post at the junior high on Monday, said school district spokesman Chris Williams.

Bowers was placed on administrative leave while district officials conduct their own investigation. Bowers has taught in the district since 1996 and was an elementary school teacher for nine years before she transferred to Bountiful Junior High in 2006, Williams said.

"So far, there is nothing to indicate that there are any other students involved, or any other faculty or employees involved," Pickett said.

In separate conversations, the boy and the two teachers began discussing personal problems, Pickett said. That led to text messages, including ones involving sexual matters, then phone sex and the alleged sexual assaults, Pickett said.

The investigation so far indicates none of the alleged sex acts occurred at the school, Pickett said. Instead, the teachers allegedly went with the student to homes, parking lots or parks in Bountiful, Woods Cross, Farmington and Kaysville.

Williams said parents picking up their children from the school Friday expressed disbelief and shock. Jenifer Wright, whose eighth-grade daughter attends the school, said the news alarmed her.

"It makes me very worried. I'm very protective about my children," she said.

Holly Ruhr, whose seventh-grade daughter attends the school, said she is not worried by the charges because she has been "impressed in every way" by Bountiful Junior High.

"My daughter is thrilled to go to class every day," she said. "This is just a case of one or two teachers. Not a bad school."

Another parent struggled to believe the allegations, defending Bowers as a great teacher.

[moeron]

1 Word.....Pedophile. Life in prison. You molest a child any child, Boy or Girl Life in prison. No way out.

[The Lost Manatee]

I agree with you 100%. However this is Utah and the offenders were women so the double standard will kick in. Odds are they will get 3 years on probation. That seems to be the going penalty here for women who engage in sexual acts with minors. Men, on the other hand, seem to get much harsher sentences for committing the same crime. And I don't believe a few years in prison is sufficient punishment for what these vile creatures do to their victims.

[pbans]

It was front page news here.....that's just down the interstate a bit from me.
...........and I agree with John......

[jbsux]

You molest a child, DEATH!! These scum don't deserve to live! They Cannot be rehabilitated.

[flyboy55]

I would be lying if I claimed that, as a thirteen year old, I never had fantasies about having sex with a number of my female teachers. That doesn't make what happened in this case OK, but it does point to what I think is an interesting difference between how men and women look at these issues.

When I hear about a man having sex with a girl or boy, I get angry and think a harsh punishment is in order.

When I hear about a woman having sex with a girl or boy, I hesitate and ask myself "was it consensual?" which seems like a ridiculous question to ask, but there it is. Maybe I'm thinking about the fantasies that occupied my own imagination when I was a teenager (who am I kidding - they still do!).

I know a few men whose first teenage sexual experiences were with women more than twice their age, and they have nothing but fond memories of those encounters.

I think there is indeed a double standard in our society with regard to these cases, but I don't think the double standard is created primarily by women "protecting their own". I think the double standard is created and perpetuated, consciously or not, mostly by men who think like me.

I don't honestly know what the punishment should be in this particular case, but I think the death penalty would be a little harsh.

[ph4ever]

WTF is wrong with some people????? I cannot imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy.

[big john]

WTF is wrong with some people????? I cannot imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy.

Did you see their pictures? Not exactly what you'd call "hot". One looks like a field hockey coach.

[ph4ever]

WTF is wrong with some people????? I cannot imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy.

Did you see their pictures? Not exactly what you'd call "hot". One looks like a field hockey coach.

I still can't imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy. I've seen some butt ugly women with grown men. What would you talk about with a teenaged b/f? Pimples? makes NO sense to me at all!!!

[big john]

WTF is wrong with some people????? I cannot imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy.

Did you see their pictures? Not exactly what you'd call "hot". One looks like a field hockey coach.

I still can't imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy. I've seen some butt ugly women with grown men. What would you talk about with a teenaged b/f? Pimples? makes NO sense to me at all!!!

i'm just assuming they were probably desperate and utah is too far from any sailors.

[RinglingRingling]

WTF is wrong with some people????? I cannot imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy.

Did you see their pictures? Not exactly what you'd call "hot". One looks like a field hockey coach.

I still can't imagine what a woman would find attractive in a teenaged boy. I've seen some butt ugly women with grown men. What would you talk about with a teenaged b/f? Pimples? makes NO sense to me at all!!!

i'm just assuming they were probably desperate and utah is too far from any sailors.

and it has a high sheep population...

[mermaidindisguise]

I certainly am disgusted by the teachers - but i gotta tell ya I would be JUST AS p*** at my son if I found out he was doing this bc I guarantee my son knew better at that age - come on...... this kid was grabbed - attacked? Had no way to say no?... once again in no way condoning teachers but I worry about the increased promiscuity of jr high students. This student I'm sure was not forced to do anything. Parents need to take responsibility for raising their kids. If you let MTV raise your child, odds are - they will think nothing of having sex at an early age(please do not take that as me blaming TV for everything) (just that many kids don't get the basics taught to them anymore and they are not truly loved or taken care of)..... it's a shame that respect and morals are getting lost.... in ALL age groups. Once again - if only EVERYONE was a parrothead....... (sigh) the world would be so good......

YIKES!!!!

[AlbatrossFlyer]

my high school history teacher (23-24 yrs old, hot, fresh out of teachers college) got caught doing a few of the football players after a game on the field. brought new meaning to friday night lights....

boy was i p***, p*** she didn't do the soccer team....

[LIPH]

When I hear about a woman having sex with a girl or boy, I hesitate and ask myself "was it consensual?"

If he's a minor, it can't be consensual. If you're a minor the law considers you incompetent to give consent.

[The Lost Manatee]

And having known several people who were seduced by teachers or preachers or other adults and seen what it costs them later in life, I can tell you that while it may be a teenager fantasy, it still does a lot of emotional damage. Even if it didn't do damage to the child, it is still a betrayal of trust by the adult. Part of being an adult is knowing when to say No and when not to begin something. No, these two teachers should be subjected to the maximum sentence possible under the law and while the death penalty may be extreme, I don't think 3 or 4 years is remotely close to being severe enough and judging by past cases in Utah involving women teachers and male students, that will be about all that they will get.

[Salukulady]

1 Word.....Pedophile. Life in prison. You molest a child any child, Boy or Girl Life in prison. No way out.

I agree in most situations. But I do have a neighbor down the street that is on the "List". In California all sex offenders that are caught are posted on a website by their address. You can check your own neighborhood for sex offenders. When he was 20 he "dated" a 17 year old. The parents of the girl caught the kids and pressed charges. He was convicted did his time and currently is a 35 year old father of two small children that has been married for years and I consider a model citizen. Does he deserve the same treatment as these two teachers or the creepy guy in the park asking the 6 year old to help him find his lost puppy?

[RinglingRingling]

not "blaming the victim" because two grown adults should have known better, but it looks like the two women were not overlapping, that it ended with one, then the other took up with the kid or did I misread that?

[moeron]

Either way they should have known better. Boy or Girl whats the differance? If they are under age, You go to jail. Man or woman Go to Jail. No double standard. Women are treated as property. I know in ILL there IS a double standard. That's not fair.

[Lightning Bolt]

This one in Utah trumps our local scandal last year where 4 cases of teacher/student sex went down at ONE high school.
One female student had sex with two different male teachers... they both got fired, but that was it.

Apparently the girl was just really quite the skank

[Wino you know]

Did you see their pictures? Not exactly what you'd call "hot". One looks like a field hockey coach.

Now THAT would definately cause the boy some severe emotional damage.