Long Island High School Teacher Heather Kennedy in Alleged Sex Scandal with Student

What Can Be Done to Stop This?

By Carol Wilkins, published Mar 27, 2008
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CORRECTION: When I wrote this article, I based my story on information at hand. Once this was published, more accurate details of the alleged crime came to light. In an effort to be as accurate as possible, I am issuing this correction of certain details: According to Newsday.com, Heather Kennedy was arrested for statutory rape after ha! ving intercourse with her underage student in the boy's car while parked at Massapequa High School . When questioned by his father as to his whereabouts, the boy admitted to the tryst and the boy's father contacted the police, according to Special Victims Unit detective, Richard Zito.

Heather Kennedy, a Long Island high school math teacher, is the most recent educator accused of being involved in a sex scandal with a student. Kennedy, 25, is accused of having intercourse with her 16-year-old student. According to police, the underage student from Wantagh High School initiated and was a willing participant in the sexual contact. The police believe this was a single incident and occurred at the boy's home in Massapequa while Kennedy was tutoring him. Kennedy, a teacher at the school for 3 years with no prior criminal record, has been reassigned out of the classroom until further investigation.

Unfortunately, this is becoming a more common occurrence in our society. One can blame the teacher for knowing better or the student for being exposed to so much sexuality on television or other media. In some instances, the teachers are not much older than the students, particularly in high school settings. Until some safeguards are in place, I believe we will continue to see more of this.

One way we can attempt to avoid these situations would be to prohibit outside of the classroom tutoring. Ms. Kennedy was at her student's home tutoring him. That is a dangerous situation to be in, particularly with a student of the opposite gender. Schools should keep tutoring in the classroom setting because it is a more controlled environment.

 
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These numbers are troubling aren't they?

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Posted on 04/12/2008 at 9:04:47 AM

 
Even if antidepressants can cause sexual impulses, it does not negate competency. It is still a crime to molest a child and blaming it on antidepressants sounds like a desperate, pass-the-buck defense.

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Posted on 04/04/2008 at 8:04:03 PM

 
Dr. Ann Tracy pointed out that a side effects of antidepressants are nymphomania and erotomania: Sexual compulsions - a pathologic preoccupation with sexual fantasies or activities. She says that “Child sex abuse has increased dramatically with even female teachers going manic on these drugs and seducing students. The head of the sex abuse treatment program for Utah estimated 80% of sex crime perpetrators were on antidepressants at the time of the crime. While Karl Von Kleist, an ex-LAPD officer and leading polygraph expert estimated 90% - strong evidence of manic sexual compulsions that demand attention.” Numerous of the teachers who molest their students admitted that they were on antidepressants. I bet she was on antidepressants. Steve Hayes Novus Medical Detox

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Posted on 04/04/2008 at 3:04:33 PM

 
Trouble, good article :) Sheri

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Posted on 04/03/2008 at 11:04:38 PM

 
Kennedy was my math teacher as well and i agree with kendra; there was always three boys coming in the classroom during school hours and while she was teaching. also after school the boys would come in. I now have another part-time math teacher as my math teacher and she says its for the rest of the year.

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Posted on 04/01/2008 at 2:04:51 PM

 
BTW, my comment was responding to this one: i am a student from wantagh high school typing directly from journalism class. Here are the facts that i know from my school: Ms. Kennedy lives in massapequa, it was convinient for her to meet the kid there at the massapequa parking lot. the kid drives a black mustang and they had sex in the back of his car in the parking lot of massapequa high school. I have Ms. Kennedy as a math teacher and atleast 4 other kids not including the victim walk into her class room to "chat". They come in just about everyday, but not on tests or quiz days. go figure why they know we are taking a test or quiz. they have always been a little suspicious casue sometimes they touch her face as a joke, but maybe not. Ive been wondering about out of school relationships with ms.kennedy and these kids, but never to the point of sex. that is all i will say.

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Posted on 03/31/2008 at 7:03:47 AM

 
Excellent job!! =)

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Posted on 03/31/2008 at 2:03:03 AM

 
: )

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Posted on 03/30/2008 at 11:03:08 PM

 
:-)

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Posted on 03/29/2008 at 7:03:51 PM

 
CORRECTION: When I wrote this article, I based my story on information at hand. Once this was published, more accurate details of the alleged crime came to light. In an effort to be as accurate as possible, I am issuing this correction of certain details: According to Newsday.com, Heather Kennedy was arrested for statutory rape after having intercourse with her underage student in the boy's car while parked at Massapequa High School. When questioned by his father as to his whereabouts, the boy admitted to the tryst and the boy's father contacted the police, according to Special Victims Unit detective, Richard Zito.

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Posted on 03/29/2008 at 11:03:06 AM

 
Egregious- You might be interested to know that sex crimes are considered to be on the rise but still under-reported. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, women sex offenders are on the rise. Slowly but still on the rise. In 1960, female sex offenders were unheard of. Today they (women sex offenders) make up approx. 11% of arrests and convictions and 4% of the prision population. So I highly doubt crime is going down.

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Posted on 03/29/2008 at 7:03:12 AM

 
Mr. Hernandez- Please re-read my article. I was NOT making excuses for a teacher who would do that. I am merely entertaining the possibility that she did not. She is innocent until proven guilty.

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Posted on 03/29/2008 at 7:03:51 AM

 
I happened upon this site completely by accident, but cannot resist a comment. This is 2008 which means any news happening will hit the world ...all across the world within the hour it happens. I read the comments with interest only because they are generally hens clucking about how the world is going to hell in a hand basket and how women and children are not safe from the "growing" number of preditors out to molest and rape them. My point is that the perception of reality and reality are generally mutually exclusive. Take a look at the Federal Bureau of Crime Statistics reports over the past six decades and you will see that it was much more dangerous for everyone in the 60's than it is today. Violent and sexual crime has declined steadily each decade since 1950. The phenomenon of mass communication and the profit (ratings) motive of the media warps reality in a way to lead everyone to think they are in constant danger. Cluck and tsk tsk away.

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Posted on 03/28/2008 at 9:03:34 PM

 
I am a teacher. When I tutor in my computer lab I open the door and make sure the student and I sit at the row of computers that can be seen from the hall. When a student comes in to use the computer and not for tutoring I still make the student sit at the row that can be seen from the the hall. Tutoring a student at his/her home is out of the question. Any school district superintendent who allows that should be fired! Wilkins seems to be making an excuse for the teacher in this case. There is no excuse for this behavior on the teachers part. Do you think its permissible for an adult to have intercourse with a 5 year old? a 10 year old? a 15 year old. Its all the same!!!!!

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Posted on 03/28/2008 at 9:03:29 PM

 
Seriously- Again please look at the source notes. I took my information from what I had available. AFTER I wrote the article more information was released. And yes, as a teacher I realize tutoring needs to take place which is why I offered solutions for tutoring sessions in my article, if you read it. Also, if this actually took place, then it wasn't a "poorly made choice" it was a CRIME.

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Posted on 03/28/2008 at 8:03:58 PM

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