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Published: 2008-04-17 10:53:00
Updated: 2008-04-17 21:36:05

Teacher Admitted to Sexual Relationship With Student


Shannon Best
Shannon Best
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A former Sanderson High School teacher admitted to kissing and fondling a female student and sending nude images of herself in text messages, according to a search warrant returned Wednesday.

Shannon Lynn Best, 33, also told Raleigh police that she and the 18-year-old student had been involved with one another for about three to four weeks.

On Monday, police charged Best, who had taught at Sanderson since August 2004, with one count of taking indecent liberties with a student by school personnel.

State statute allows no age of consent when the suspect is a teacher and the alleged victim a student.

According to the warrant, Best had planned to take the student, as well as another 18-year-old student, to a track meet and had invited them over to her apartment on April 11 for a sleepover the night before.

That's when someone took a digital photo of one of the students kissing Best, the warrant said. As a result, investigators confiscated two computers, one of them belonging to Sanderson, three thumb drives and a camera disk from Best's North Raleigh apartment.

Wake County Public School System spokesman Michael Evans said Best resigned Monday when the allegation surfaced.

She is out of jail on a $5,000 secured bond. Prosecutors say that if she is convicted, she is unlikely to face more than probation because she has no criminal record.


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Cookie- I did answer. If an 18 year old and a 50 year old have a relationship, fine. If it was MY 16 year old child that I was supporting, I would not be happy about it.

Dataclerk- I think you misunderstood. She did not take liberties with a minor because the girl is 18 years old. And 18 is the legal age for adulthood. Robbing the cradle maybe, but not child molesting. I NEVER said that what happened was okay, just that it isn't the same as child molestation.

Whether I make you sick or not- I don't really care. I am one of the few on here that feel she SHOULD be charged. I am giving facts. She DID violate her contract with the state and broke the law and should be charged for it.

"Dataclerk...you missed the whole point of this. The young lady is over 18 years old and therefore NOT a child!"

And everyone that thinks there's nothing wrong is missing my point: Would you feel the same way if she was 16 (age of consent)? Would you feel the same way if your daughter was sleeping with a 50 year old man? Nobody that thinks it was OK has offered an answer to that one.

Dataclerk...you missed the whole point of this. The young lady is over 18 years old and therefore NOT a child!

After its all over, I certainly hope this teacher has to register as a child-molester. :)

She violated her contract with the state not to have a relationship with a student.

The teacher also VIOLATED THE STUDENT. I just like to what country did you come from? It cannot be the United States. We are not that ignorant.

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