When Teachers Catch Feelings

In recent years, news of inappropriate relationships between school staff and students seem to be increasingly in the news. When these relationships occur, questioning and concerns are created for the community; people involved, and even the world as a whole. In our own Champaign-Urbana Community, three people, have been charged with crimes of this nature and there were different reactions by the court system.

Tammy Bond, 45, was a teacher at Urbana High School. She had a relationship with a 16 year old boy which became sexual and Bond proceeded to give him gifts. According to the News Gazette’s initial report, the mother of the teenager found out that Bond was letting him drive her car, so she told Bond to stop. When Bond did not, the mother went to the police. Bond was put on leave from Urbana High School the day of the investigation started and has since been fired from Urbana High School. Bond was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault with a 50,000 dollar bond. The final verdict on Bond’s case was that she would do four years’ probation, 180 days in jail, and register as a sex offender.

Candace Welch, 29, was a softball coach for the Urbana Fast Pitch Softball Summer league who began a relationship with one of the players, who was 15 years old. This relationship started in June and went on until December 2012. The relationship became sexual in that time. The two were caught by a neighbor, that then made a suspicious call to the police department. Welch was charged with criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, and criminal sexual abuse with a maximum of 250,000 dollar bond. Welch only did two months in the Champaign County Jail and was registered as a sex offender.

Yuri Ermakov, 25, was a teacher and the assistant track coach for the University High School (Uniy). Ermakov was hired in 2004. During his time at Uniy, in October 2005 to March 2006 he had relationships with four of his students who were 15 to 16 at the time. The victims have said he kissed them and touched their butts multiple times. Also, Ermakov bought them alcohol and shared weed with the girls that was provided by one of the victims. The girls had stayed the night at Ermakov’s house before. Ermakov and one the 15 year old victim had been in a relationship where they performed sex acts once. When testifying some of the girls had lied about what Ermakov did to them which made the case harder to decide how many counts he was going to be charged with. During the trial Ermakov was accused of criminal sexual assault, contributing delinquency of a minor, and attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse. While the jury deliberated for three hours on the decision, Ermakov had fled. The final sentencing was 4-15 years in prison for criminal sexual assault, but the delinquency of a minor became a misdemeanor. Ermakov had fled for three years and went back to Russia. He decided to turn himself in. So in July 2007, the final decision had been made. Ermakov was convicted of criminal sexual assault of a 15 year old, contributing to delinquency of a minor for providing alcohol for two of the 16 year old victims. Ermakov was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Ermakov doesn’t only the time that is needed to be served but also has to be registered as a sex offender.

A lot of people wonder why situations like these three happen in their community. Why didn’t anyone stop it? However, districts and employers complete required background checks, other options available to them, in order to find out information and check the people being employed.

Travis Courson, Assistant Principal at Urbana High School, said” Ways we try to make things like this not happen is to have our staff talk to us when, or if, they become suspicious. If a teacher and student ever have to be together outside school hours, we make sure there are always two adults and safety is our first priority.” If students or parents have any questions or concerns about the situation they may contact UHS Principal, Matthew Stark at (217) 384-3505.

One thing these all have in common is how the social media aspect played in this. Since the information about Bond’s sentencing was released, it was circulated throughout social media sites such as Twitter. Many students believed and re-tweeted the misleading and inappropriate information about the case as well and the result of her trial that they had heard. One thing that was very hard to hear for students at UHS was the inappropriate comments being made. This made it very hurtful to all parties involved, and the school community. Urbana Tigers must continue to strive to be educated and ethical users of social media, and that means always being aware of the impact social media can have on one’s reputation and on others. Although these three cases have the social media aspect that can tie them together, the ending results of all three cases can’t tie them together. An arraignment happens, and both the victim and the accused basically plead not guilty. Past crimes, income, and how well established they are in their community all play in effect of the decision. At that time after the judge has made their decision, they will tell them their trial rights and what their max penalty is. This determines the amount of bail money needed. Most bonds will be higher if certain requirements are broken, like if there is supposed to be no contact and you make contact with the victim of the crime you made. Most people think that when a teenager is involved it is a gray area on how things should be decided, but to the law there are no gray areas; if you’re under the age of consent then you have broken the law.

Things like this or any crime you never know why, even when the person says why they did something you still ask why? Or what were they thinking. But crime is a part of life. Whether it was consensual or not, it’s still seen as a crime. These three got charged with a lot of the same things but had different sentencing. You would think there were things that determine what their sentencing would be, but no one knows what the final decision will be. Ernest Hemingway said “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”

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Kimberly

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