Role of teacher not in bedroom

editorial cartoon by Christian A. Lopez
editorial cartoon by Christian A. Lopez

In today’s society there are few roles that are held in as high of a regard as that of the teacher. We dub them as mentors, educators, friends and leaders. They are under appreciated martyrs that develop the knowledge base of our community.

This is exactly why reading Wednesday’s issue of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin was so shocking to many readers. The front page bared the headline, “Teacher, 39, admits sex with girl, 17.”

Few associate the words sex offender, pedophile or statutory rapist with the role of a teacher. However with the recent events taking place in numerous Southern California high schools, the role of a teacher has lost a great deal of its due respect in an already wilting field.

A disheartening rapsheet for the educational system was brought to a crescendo nearly five years ago when numerous schools in the Inland Valley began gaining some unfavorable attention.

Craig Olson, a teacher at Upland High School was arrested for sexual misconduct with a student just over two years ago.

Last year, at our neighboring Bonita High School, teacher David Dangleis was arrested for having a sexual relationship with a 16-year old student. The 32-year-old is now in jail after having been a four-year veteran of the school system.

Most recently was the instance at Claremont High School that received Wednesday’s headline. Lorna Luise Korber, a 39-year-old English teacher, was surrounded with charges because of her relationship with a 17-year-old female student. Korber reduced her sentence to one year with probation after pleading guilty to three of her 12 felony counts.

Although Korber eased her punishment through negotiations with the district attorney, she and the other aforementioned teachers cannot ease the detriment done to their field.

The result of these events has brought a major chink in the armor of education. These teachers violated the trust of their students, the parents, fellow faculty and their respective communities that endowed them with this responsibility.

Who does society blame for this ongoing phenomenon?

One could argue that these are somewhat isolated incidents and that these individuals slipped through the cracks of a normally respectable system.

However, at some point, reality and the truth has to present itself.

Although a thoroughly eerie aspect, these incidents are characteristic of a greater problem in the Southland’s school system.

According to an article in the Sept. 4 issue of the Bulletin, teachers are becoming less and less qualified to hold their title because of a growing need for the profession and a lack of willing, educated applicants.

People given the title of teacher are frequently lacking any form of professional training. Additionally, those individuals can be teaching for five years while attempting to earn their credentials.

Unfortunately for the students, lack of character and moral integrity has also shown itself as a product of the system’s shortcomings.

We either need to make a greater investment in the dedicated teachers of our society that do exist so their education and training is worth the while, or we need to place a greater emphasis on the background of our teachers.

Regardless of which path the educational system chooses, they will have to deal with the saddening fact that there is now a greater need to ask their applicants if they have a criminal record as opposed to an extensive resume.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Christian A. Lopez, Staff Writer
Christian A. Lopez

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