Female teacher’s aide gets 20-40 years for pedophilia

Interesting story about a female child molester who got a lot of time for molesting a 13 year old boy. The reporter makes it clear he feels it is about time. This whole story is pretty terrible. She was good friends with this boys family and was like a second mother to this boy. Can you imagine the level of betrayal that his family and he feels? If you can't trust your friends who can you trust? But isn't this typical of a pedophile? They worm their way into a child's life and don't care if they hurt the child or the family. I am glad his mother did her research. She was suspicious of the relationship that was developing between the two of them. She found some stuff on his computer and on Facebook. I sure hope that female pedophiles who sexually abuse children start being held to the same standard of justice a male pedophile does. A child sexual abuser is a child sexual abuser. I hope this boy is getting the help he needs to work through this.

As per usual there are comments attached to the original story that the boy probably didn't mind and his friends were jealous of him. And where were all the pretty teacher's aids when I was growing up? We have a long way to go before we acknowledge that females commit child sexual abuse. It is unfair to the boys who get abused for them to be made to feel like they weren't betrayed. Men who have survived child sexual abuse are now just starting to feel comfortable discussing what they have survived. Please let's not create more harm for boys and men who were sexually abused by making a joke out of it? Thanks, Rosie

February 17, 2012 by Don Surber

Finally, a blonde teacher’s aide who had sex with a male student is getting the same sentence a male teacher could expect for sex with a 14-year-old girl: 20 to 40 years in prison. She knew the kid all his life and betrayed the trust not only he but his entire family had in her.

Meet Shannon Alicia Schmieder, 39, of Coweta County, Georgia. She was a teacher’s aide at Jefferson Parkway Elementary School with a 14-year-old boy who was not a student there, but rather the son of a friend of hers.

The boy’s mother told the London Daily Mail: “She was a close family friend. We had gone to the same church together for 10 years. Our children were friends. Our families were friends. We did everything together. It’s impossible to describe how we felt to find out this was going on.”

Shannon Alicia Schmieder was like a parent to him, his mother said. But then when he turned 13 and she changed and started acting like a friend to him. 

Their friendship became more than that. Then his parents saw his Facebook page. His mothert was shocked. She told the London newspaper: “Never in a million years did I think I would find what I thought was evidence of inappropriate behavior between them. But there it was.”

There was a sense of betrayal for the boy’s mother over his loss of innocence.

The perpetrator pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation and Coweta Superior Court Judge Jack Kirby gave her the maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years, as recommended by the DA’s office.

The age of consent is 16 in Georgia. That seems about right.

From Coweta Judicial Circuit Senior Assistant District Kevin McMurry:

“The state of Georgia has very strict sentences against child molestation. When I was negotiating this sentence, I treated her like I would a male perpetrator. We believe that children deserve to be protected. This woman groomed and enticed a young boy she knew from birth to engage in these sexual acts. I crafted the sentence to take these things into account. We want to send a message that this will not be tolerated. I actually reduced the charge from aggravated child molestation – which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years — to child molestation – with a maximum of 20 years — but wanted to ensure she would still receive a harsh sentence which recognized the life-long impact and damage done to this child. Children are important and they deserve to be protected. She abused her position and the trust bestowed on her from the family and she had to be punished for this.”

Childhood is short. You ought to be able to enjoy it unmolested.

Other than a terse, 6-paragraph report in the Newnan Times-Herald, the American press seemed to ignore the story.

http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/51685

Story in US

Published Wednesday, February 15, 2012 in Local

http://www.times-herald.com/local/Ex-teacher---assistant---to-serve---20-years---for-child---molesting--2079097 

Special

Shannon Alicia Schmieder

Ex-teacher assistant to serve 20 years for child molesting

By Alex McRae

The Newnan Times-Herald

Shannon Alicia Schmieder, a former Coweta County teacher assistant charged with having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old male child, was sentenced to 40 years in prison, to serve 20, after pleading guilty Monday to two counts of child molestation, according to Coweta Judicial Circuit Senior Assistant District Kevin McMurry.
Coweta Superior Court Judge Jack Kirby imposed the sentence on the recommendation of the DA's office. McMurry was lead prosecutor on the case.
Schmieder worked at Jefferson Parkway Elementary School when the relationship took place. The 14-year-old male victim was not a student at Jefferson Parkway.
Authorities learned of the alleged sexual abuse after the victim's parents discovered suspicious messages on their son's computer and brought the computer to the Coweta County Sheriff's Office.
A forensic investigation of the computer uncovered more computer messages that showed an explicit sexual relationship had occurred between the teen and the teacher's assistant.
Schmieder was arrested and charged following an interview with authorities.