North Carolina Teacher Given 6 Months In Prison For Sleeping With Students

Rebecca Carol Swinson, a 39-year-old former high school teacher who was accused of having a sexual relationship with a student, has been sentenced to six months in prison. Prior to her arrest and subsequent conviction, Swinson was an English teacher and cross-country coach at East Forsyth High School in North Carolina.
According to reports, on Wednesday, December 19, Swinson was convicted on charges of sexual misconduct charges for allegedly sending naked photographs to two students and having sexual intercourse with them in her classroom.
Court documents say that Swinson admitted to having “sexual encounters” with two 17-year-old students in her East Forsyth High School classroom from October to December 2017.
A North Carolina judge sentenced Swinson to 6 months in prison with a “maximum” 75-month suspended sentence. Following prison, Swinson will have to register as a sex offender for 30 years.
As for why there has been such a significant increase in instances of teachers having sexual relationships with students, researchers believe that technology is to blame.
According to a report from the Texas Education Association, smartphones make easy for teachers to privately text and talk with students and also make it possible for teachers and students to share explicit images.
SESAME (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse Misconduct & Exploitation) President Terri Miller echoed that sentiment, stating “before cell phones, we knew who our kids were talking to” but today, “kids have their own phones, they’re taking them to bed, and parents need to watch more.”
Hoffman has been one of many teachers to be charged for inappropriate conduct. Over the course of just a few months, teachers across the United States have been charged, tried, and convicted of various abuse and sex crimes.
The list goes on to include 22-year-old Oklahoma science teacher Hunter Day, 28-year-old teacher Megan Kotarski, 23-year-old history teacher Michelle Schiffer, 29-year-old Alyssia Marie Reddy, special education teacher Jordan Ondish and 28-year-old Samantha Fitzpatrick have all been allegedly carrying on inappropriate relationships with their students.
Most recently, teachers such as 29-year-old Haylie Smart, 25-year-old Alaina Ferguson, 26-year-old Amy Nowaczyk, and 32-year-old Laura Bucy were arrested and charged for similar crimes.