Chuck Keeshan’s Daily Herald article about 53-year old Antioch Upper Grade School teacher Wes Owens, a resident of McHenry County’s far northeastern Solon Mills, has brought some pungent comments from those who think the punishment should be more that incarceration.
The sexual relationship started when a former student, who had become a babysitter, was 15 and lasted two years.
One seems to be looking forward to Owens’ being raped in prison.
Voiceofthepeople: Tue Sep 21, 2010 3:24 PM +3
Believe me this guy is going to get whats comming to him in Prison….You know I dont really care much for convicted Felons, but I love the way they deal with Child molesters….
ihateidiots : Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:55 PM +2
Anyone for castration
Perhaps these folks should run for the state legislature, but, if I were still in Springfield, such proposals would have my active opposition.
Until they change current law, however, rape is not part of any sentence in Illinois.
Now called "Just Detention, International," the group started out as "Stop Prison Rape."
Kenneth L. Johnson is due for parole October 20, 2011. He was sentenced to 3 years, six months, for the possession of child pornography.
Perhaps those calling for such informal, but life-changing punishment by inmates might reflect upon the
“Fresh meat!”
cat calls when newly incarcerated young men from the area walk into prison.
Those young men get raped, too.
Maybe the neighborhood kid who stole something to support a drug habit. Maybe the neighborhood youth who sold marijuana to support his habit.
Besides never being able to teach again, former Antioch teacher Owens will have to register as a sex offender.
This is the second teacher from that system to face such charges. The first, Kenneth Lee Johnson, told police of Owens’ affair.
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Added September 30, 2010.
The day this story went up, I filed a Freedom of Information request with the Antioch school district for photos and what the two men taught.
She wrote me, “Ken Johnson taught Social Studies at Antioch Upper Grade School and Wes Owens taught Language Arts and Social Studies at Antioch Upper Grade School,” but did not send their photos. I asked her to reconsider before I filed an appeal with the Attorney General’s Public Access Division.
Today I received the following email from Principal Mary Ellen Casey:
Ken Johnson yearbook picture.
Yearbook photo of Wes Owens
The District continues to assert that the photographs you have requested are not “public records” merely because they are in the District’s possession. However, the District is not interested in continuing to expend District resources to object to the disclosure of photographs of these two individuals. Therefore, pictures of both individuals are attached.
Needless to say, I disagree and would have filed an appeal with the Public Access Division of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office had the district not provided the photos. Fortunately for Antioch taxpayers, wise heads prevailed and legal fees were saved.