GUILTY MI - Neal Erickson for child sexual abuse, Rose City, 2012

[MouseTheLuckyDog]

I just came across the story of Neal Erickson, a Rose City Michigan teacher who molested a boy for three years starting at the age of eight. He plead guilty to one count of criminal sexual conduct.

During sentencing several teachers wrote letters asking leniency during sentencing for Erickson. I have indications that the judge even chastised the teachers for doing so.

I've found several links to the story, but so far the only one in the MSM is:
Pedophile supporters won't get fired.

PS This seemed like the best forum top post this in. If you can recommend a better one do so.

 

[txsvicki]

Wow. It's hard to understand why such a tiny town thinks that parents have no say in school matters. IMO, parents and taxpayers should have more say in school matters instead of boards and husbands who are on boards. They must have known they would be totally safe in asking for leniency for the the man. It would be interesting to know their reasoning. Do they consider sixth graders grown nowadays or somehow think this man innocent even though there is photo proof and proof enough to convince the courts. They will undergo ethics training, so I'm sure that will help ease parents' concerns for the small community. (Sarcasm).

 

[ohiogirl]

Mouse: I am flabbergasted by these letters of support. How do they know he hasn't done it more than once? How do they know the boy is not suffering because of this? Even if, how can support this man?
http://wbrcteachers.blogspot.com/

some of the letters

 

[ohiogirl]

They seem to think that losing his teaching job is punishment enough! Why don't they wonder why he got into teaching in the first place?
they should be appalled, yet they are making excuses. Blaming whoever sent the picture to the school. Amazing.

 

[ohiogirl]

http://www.ogemawherald.com/stories...al+erickson&town_id=7&sub_type=stories,photos

While addressing the court, Erickson also told of the relationship he and the victim had after the acts that led to the investigation and eventual guilty plea. He said the victim continued to ask him for guidance in high school, and that he proofread papers for the victim and wrote letters of recommendation for scholarships for the victim.

The victim’s mother said the victim shut them out to hide his shame. She said the victim looked up to Erickson, and was betrayed.

My word, don't these teachers know that is exactly how victims react to this kind of thing? If they don't, they shouldn't be teaching youngsters.
This is making me so angry, I am going to leave it now.

 

[txsvicki]

Disgraceful. All the letters seem so self absorbed and about how they work so hard. In defending him they talk mostly about themselves. They really do seem to think kids are adults at age 10-12. I'd be homeschooling, unschooling, or going to a charter school if that attitude prevails. I only hope they have been as forgiving towards troubled kids as they have been with this man, but doubt it.

 

[MouseTheLuckyDog]

Mouse: I am flabbergasted by these letters of support. How do they know he hasn't done it more than once? How do they know the boy is not suffering because of this? Even if, how can support this man?
http://wbrcteachers.blogspot.com/

some of the letters

One of the letters ( haven't found it yet ) basically says that the judge should take into account that he plead guilty and spared the boy ( now a man ) the trama of testifying. I suspect that the real reason he plead guilty is that he did not want to draw it out and risk having the prosecutors learn about other children.

 

[gxm]

Disgusting. The man confessed. There is no gray area here. He's a pedophile. And IMO there are probably more victims who are still suffering in silence. Jail is where he belongs, where he won't have access to children. JMO, OMO, and MOO.

 

[defense101]

Hmm he admits to doing it, they support him in a way, I don't think first amendment comes into it. Moral character does and who is teaching the children IMO

 

[Ausgirl]

I'd be investigating those teachers' own treatment of children. Pedos love company... And in any case, that'd learn 'em.

I would not allow people who support a pedophile like that to be teaching MY child. That is for sure.

 

[Hejlena]

Reading those letters has made me sick to my stomach. Definitely an insidious lack of moral development here.

 

[LadyL]

and someone burned down the parents of the molested boy's garage on Aug. 20

this is insane

 

[LadyL]

those teachers are more than naive, they are stupid

his wife is worse than that - she should've divorced him and instead she BLAMES THE VICTIM

I would not hesitate to remove my child from that school

 

[Elley Mae]

Student exodus in Michigan school district where teachers defended child molester

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/1...-teachers-defend-convicted/?intcmp=latestnews

The student body count in the West Branch-Rose City district, in northeast Michigan is down unofficially some 87 students following a tumultuous summer in which angry parents blasted seven teachers for writing letters in support of former teacher Neal Erickson.

Lower enrollment will cost the district under the state's funding formula. And it could get even worse, if other parents simply opt to keep their kids home on Sept. 25, when the official headcount is carried out. The school district stands to lose as much as $600,000 in state funding.

 

[TexanMom]

Student exodus in Michigan school district where teachers defended child molester

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/1...-teachers-defend-convicted/?intcmp=latestnews

The student body count in the West Branch-Rose City district, in northeast Michigan is down unofficially some 87 students following a tumultuous summer in which angry parents blasted seven teachers for writing letters in support of former teacher Neal Erickson.

Lower enrollment will cost the district under the state's funding formula. And it could get even worse, if other parents simply opt to keep their kids home on Sept. 25, when the official headcount is carried out. The school district stands to lose as much as $600,000 in state funding.

Good! The teachers and school administrators need to learn that their support of this pedophile has consequences!

 

[nightwatch]

Each time these stories are reported I can not articulate my rage. I can't imagine someone coming to me asking for a letter of support for a coworker child molester. Here in Utah a child psychiatrist was found with kid *advertiser censored* on his computer. Damn predators!

Ciao

 

[jjw]

I'm not shocked that other teachers are defending him.

A local disabled boy was abused by a teacher a few years ago. The teacher locked him in a closet as punishment. Of course, the teacher was fired from her job. Fellow teachers at the school were outraged that she wasn't given a second chance, and the principal was treated like dirt by some of them.

Some teachers forget who they are supposed to be protecting.

jmo