Koehn
Ex-teacher gets five months for sex with teen girl she mentored
Ex-teacher, coach was girl's mentor
By Frederick Melo
fmelo@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 02/05/2010 11:18:19 PM CST
A Kenosha, Wis., woman has been sentenced to five months in a county jail and 10 years' probation for maintaining a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at a private West St. Paul high school.
Melissa Diana Koehn, 31, a former teacher and basketball coach, was ordered to pay $200 and register as a sex offender. Prosecutors had asked for a state prison sentence, but Dakota County District Judge Robert King stayed the execution of a three-year prison term. Her jail sentence begins Feb. 11.
Koehn taught history at St. Croix [WELS] Lutheran High School, where she befriended the girl and began an unofficial mentoring relationship with her during the girl's sophomore year.
When the girl began showing signs of depression, Koehn held frequent meetings with her and got to know her family, who at first warmed to the mentoring. Koehn joined them for dinners, holidays, social outings and overnight visits.
Authorities believe the relationship escalated by July 2008, shortly before the girl's senior year. During Koehn's jury trial in November, the girl's mother described frequent phone calls and finding an elaborate love letter.
In December, an Apple Valley police officer discovered Koehn kissing the girl in a parked car in a park. Koehn was arrested the next day.
On the witness stand, the teen denied any sexual contact with Koehn, then later said she couldn't remember.
Under Minnesota law, sexual contact with a 16- or 17-year-old is a felony if the
perpetrator is more than four years older and in a position of authority over the teen.
Koehn's attorney maintained that the relationship was not a crime because Koehn had taken a leave of absence from the school in the summer of 2008. Prosecutors noted, however, she had the girl in history class her freshman year and coached her in basketball her sophomore year.
On Nov. 20, a jury deliberated three hours before finding Koehn guilty of three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.
Frederick Melo can be reached at 651-228-2172.
The story was previously covered on Ichabod - where else? Read the details. Was a deal made to create the memory lapse? See the details in the linked Ichabod story.
Mary Lou College really needs a gaydar dish installed, or they should change the name to Mother Jones College.
8 comments:
That teacher didn't attend MLC, check your facts
MLC could still use the dish: http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2009/12/just-for-fun-at-martin-luther-college.html
Yeah, we all could use better gaydar so we know who to avoid. Those gays are so sneaky.
From where did Ms. Koehn receive her undergraduate degree?
Anonymous at 7:40PM, you misunderstand. The dish is not to identify and avoid but address the sin with the Law. The Gospel follows the Law working contrition. You see that is what it truly means to love your neighbor. To love them so much that you would, by the grace of God, shoulder the cross of ridicule, mockery and disdain in order to share with them what they need most. To ignore and condone the sin through silence and acceptance is not love, for your neighbor or Christ. MLC needs the dish and they also need to mature because some currently are of the opinion that that couldn't happen here. They also believe that they still have the unadulterated Word being taught to them and they don't have that either with the false doctrine of UOJ being front and center. Unless the faithful students openly and publicly contend for the pure Word using Scripture and the Confessions they will lose it all. It will not be pretty as can be seen with recent and past activities.
Brett, please don't let your ignorance show. In my time at MLC, it was very real that something such as that could happen, and it's something that all three of my Biblical History and Literature teachers took time away from class to discuss. It was suggested that if the student had any sexual tendencies of the sort, that they come to the professors for help, or quietly withdraw from the school (and no, I am not one of those people, I had my own reasons for leaving).
Every professor I had taught the unadulterated Word, Sacraments, and Confessions, and didn't falter in the slightest. Now, I didn't have any of the professors that this blog so often bashes, but I've heard from several students that their faults in doctrinal teachings are very real. I'm sure you can guess who I'm talking about. Obviously something must be done about this. And that, in my opinion, is one of the only real faults the school has. They need to take action more instead of just waiting for things to go away. Although I severely doubt that contrition of any sort would satisfy anyone who reads this blog, based on some of the hateful comments.
And I'm assuming using the gaydar dish to seek out the St. Croix teacher was just a joke. I'm guessing it would be near-impossible to find that character fault in her during the short-term time she was there for synod certification, especially since she likely commuted each day.
Well said, KFax.
Scott - All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Do you think the colleges we've all attended are responsible for the sins we commit after we graduate? Every school, including seminaries, would be responsible for just about any crime/sin imaginable. I don't blame Wisconsin Lutheran College for the sins of Ms. Koehn. If anyone believes I should, please explain why.
Anonymous 9:51 PM
I apologize if I gave any indication I felt her school had anything to do with Ms. Koehn's difficulties. It had been mentioned that she did not go to MLC. Since most WELS teachers come from MLC, I was just curious from where she graduated, that' all.
Post a Comment