A former school employee faces up to 20 years in prison and has been charged with four counts of sexual exploitation after having sex with an underage student.
Brycelyn Haughey met student during an accident
Brycelyn Haughey, 22, was working as the head volleyball coach at a school in the GMG district of rural Iowa during the 2020-2021 school year when she met a 17-year-old male student in the school parking lot.
He backed into her car, and they exchanged numbers because he was supposedly going to fix the damage caused to Haughey’s car.
The incident, which occurred in September 2020, was the beginning of a weeks-long relationship between Haughey and the student and lasted until December of the same year.
The student went to Haughey’s home, where she and a female underage student were drinking. The 17-year-old student joined them before engaging in sexual activity with the teacher.
Haughey reportedly flirted with the boy
She had been sending flirtatious text messages to the student before he first visited her home, and reports say there was at least one photo sent to the student in which Haughey was naked.
When they initially met in the parking lot, Brycelyn Natasha Haughey allegedly asked the student how old he was and whether he was a senior.
He told her that he was a junior, to which Haughey reportedly replied “close enough.”
The affidavit said: “[The student] stated that Brycelyn asked how old he was, and he stated 17. Brycelyn then asked if [the student] was a senior, and he said, ‘No, I’m a junior.’ [The student] stated that Brycelyn then made a comment of ‘close enough.'”
The student said he “went with it” when the volleyball coach began sending him raunchy messages, and thought she was just “joking around.”
Their affair ended in December, around three months since they first met.
Haughey pleaded not guilty
Although the age of consent is 16 in Iowa, those who are in positions of authority can be charged with sex crimes if the incident involves somebody between 16-18 under their care.
The investigation began in October 2021, a month after Haughey left her job on September 23. On December 27, a no-contact order was issued, and Haughey was ordered to have no contact with the victim.
Superintendent Kym Stein took over in July 2021 and said the safety of students is the top priority.
On February 10, Brycelyn Haughey and her attorney appeared in court and entered a written arraignment. The former paraeducator pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation by a school employee.
She was also slapped with one count of dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to minors. Some of her defenders say that the system is being too harsh with her. Others argue that abuse is abuse is regardless of the age difference.
The jury trial date for Brycelyn Haughey was set for May 16. Via her lawyer, Haughey waived her right to a speedy trial.
Sexual misconduct cases in school are on the rise
Sexual misconduct cases in the educative system are on the rise. According to reports, close to 10% of students are abused by a school official before graduating high school.
Measures are being taken to address the matter. However, the conversation has different layers, and it has not been easy to find the right parameters to address the situation.
Parents are starting to be more proactive as these types of stories continue to get more attention in the media. Several organizations have pointed out that while most educators deserve to be celebrated, no one can ignore this problem.
Politics have somewhat complicated the changes that need to be happening. Left and right of the political spectrum do not see the situation the same way.
While conservatives talk about grooming at large in the education, liberals do not think that is the right way to address the matter.
