What Would You Do?

Yeah, I know this has absolutely nothing to do with comics or pop culture, but Craig saw it posted on a Milwaukee Brewer fan site and people were talking about it there. Then we were talking about it here, so I figured I'd put this crazy story up here and see what others would do.

In North Carolina a gal named Windy, age 16, has married her 40-year-old track coach. He "started paying attention to her" when she first joined the team, at age 14. But both the girl and the teacher claimed it was him supporting her and her abilities as a student and really fast runner. Then the parents started to notice emails about him, and saw that they were text messaging each other at all times of the day and night. The parents claim they tried to put an end to it, talking to both Windy and the coach, talking with the school and school board, even trying to get a restraining order from the police. But the coach kept insisting there wasn't any sexual or questionable activities going on, and the girl just kept insisting that she was in love. The longer it went on the more the parents claim they fought the girl, until they claim she wouldn't even speak with them, and in my opinion, became a little brat trying to get her way. Well, it worked and she got her way when her parents signed off on an agreement to let their 16-year-old marry her 40-year-old track coach. You can click here to watch the news video. And here to read the news story.

Now, I don't have any kids. But I was a teenage girl once. My parents were fair but strict. They wanted to know where I was at all times and if they found out I'd gone somewhere and didn't tell them, I'd be in trouble. That doesn't mean I couldn't go anywhere - they were always pretty good about letting me go do things with friends - as long as they knew about it. And I'll admit, sometimes I did go off to places and they didn't know. Sometimes they found out and sometimes they didn't. But I never had a relationship with a teacher that resulted in any kind of sex or marriage. Were there school-girl crushes? Sure! But I'd never even considered acting on such a thing. And I never had a teacher make moves to indicate he wanted a relationship outside of school - and none of my friends ever admitted to such a thing either. I had enough fear and respect for both parents and teachers to realize what I should and shouldn't do, or at least that's how I remember it.

If I did pull something like what this girl did- holy cats and dogs - my parents would NEVER have let it continue once they found out. That I'm sure of! They'd try to get the teacher out of the school and away from me, plus I'd be SO grounded from phone, computer, and the track team. If the 40-year old and I continued to find ways around that, they'd pull me out of the school. My father's policy was: "When you live in my house you'll play by my rules. Once you're 18 feel free to move out and do what you want." I can assure you that unless the 40-year-old kidnapped me there would be no way I'd see him again until I was 18 and left the house for good.

And what in the name of Jack and Jill does a 40-year old have in common with a 16 year old? I mean, I know men mature slowly and some of them do behave like kids, but seriously! And what 16-year-old even knows what she wants? Understands relationships? I sure didn't! Even at 20 I didn't really get life and relationships. I needed to go through a few and mature and learn before I finally got it figured out and found myself a good husband. What kind of relationship are these two even going to have?