Further On The Pupil/teacher Relationship.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2346602/Jeremy-Forrests-sister-reveals-disturbing-plans-wed-pupil-snatched-leaves-prison.html

This young girl's letter to her teacher's parents, was such a contrast from the media's and some ABers rush to condemn this pupil/teacher relationship.

This well written and constructed letter was a credit to what seems a level headed young lady, not the vulnerable child that she has been portrayed as.

Also interesting to read that the senior police officer who said of the teacher after the trial ended last week,

/// ‘He was in a position of responsibility, authority and trust over his children in his care, something parents and the wider community expect to be upheld at all costs.’ ///

It would seem that he himself didn't hold his own position of responsibility too highly.

/// The detective who led the Jeremy Forrest investigation had previously been suspended from his job for sending out racist and sexually explicit text messages to his colleagues. ///

However although he was suspended at the time, still kept his job and later put in charge this investigation.

[jno]

I entirely agree with New Judge. Call me old fashioned, but I would not contemplate sending my children to school to have affairs with their teachers.

[Tis-I-Podstick]

I have friends who were in a similar position to these two people, he was older and in responsible position of trust, she was very young and apparently vulnerable and they fell in love. He too was jailed for the relationship (although she was 16 by this time) and lost his job and livelihood. She waited for him to return to her and they have now been very happily married for 20 years.

I know that the relationship of JF and his pupil was wrong because she was under age, however not every case is a straightforward case of the younger person being a victim. Sometimes the love is real and whilst common sense would dictate that they wait until she was 16 or in the case of a pupil/teacher relationship until she had completely left school sometimes love causes us to do strange things.

Only time will tell whether this was a case of true love or not. If it is I hope that they overcome the difficulties that this start will give them. If not then unfortunately then this is two (at least) lives spoiled for nothing. Lets hope the love is real.

[LazyGun]

Call me a cynic, or unromantic if you will - but the idea that "True Love" is something to be venerated - that if someone can demonstrate their actions were carried out because of "True Love", that somehow mitigates the offence, irritates me no end.And it does not excuse selfish, amoral, unthinking and infatuated behaviour.

As a teacher, as an adult and as a human being, Forrest had a responsibility to his pupils, his wife, his colleagues and himself to keep it in his pants, and not let flattery go to his head. He was unable to do this, despite being recently married, despite the warnings from colleagues. The whole affair is a sorry mess, with the fallout of broken trusts and broken families in its wake.

I have no sympathy for him.