Oakland teacher Shannon Williams was caught up a little "misunderstanding" with an Oakland undercover cop this summer:
What did you do during your summer vacation? Police in Oakland charge a teacher is turning tricks while school is out.
Shannon Williams is due in court today on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting prostitution. She was arrested last week after allegedly agreeing to have sex with an undercover officer for $250.
Berkeley school officials confirm Williams is a teacher in the district.
According to police, Williams told them she only works as a hooker during the summer, to earn some extra money.
But Williams says it's all a misunderstanding. She vows to fight the charges in court.
I wonder:
1. Does Ms. Williams understand the contradiction inherent in saying that this was a "misunderstanding," after admitting that prostitution is something she in fact does for extra money?
2. Will local teachers union leaders defend her? And will they use this as proof that Oakland's teacher deserve a pay raise?
3. Did Ms. Williams offer to grade the cop's performance for an extra 50 bucks?
Update: Devoted Reader Richard H. found more on this story!
OAKLAND -- A Berkeley school teacher who was charged Monday with selling sex out of an apartment near the Oakland Rose Garden was supplementing her income, police said. Police said Shannon Marie Williams, 37, was arrested last Wednesday after agreeing to a $250 sex-act filled session with an undercover officer and guaranteeing his "happiness."
Williams, who rented the apartment near the Rose Garden but lives elsewhere, works for the Berkeley Unified School District as a teacher in the district's independent studies program, a school spokesperson confirmed Monday.
Does she guarantee "education" to her kids as well? "Self-esteem"? Don't know 'bout you, but I'd be real icked out if my kid ever did an "independent study" with this woman.
For the record, she still says it's a "misunderstanding" and plans to fight the charge. The details:
[Arresting Officer Mark] Turpin said police were first alerted Aug. 12 by a caller who said two women were possibly working as prostitutes in an apartment in the 600 block of Mariposa Avenue near the Rose Garden. The caller said the women only worked during the day and had a constant stream of men in and out of the apartment.
Turpin said he made contact with awoman at the apartment who later turned out to be Williams. The woman told him she was booked and to call back Wednesday, he said. He called Wednesday morning. He said they arranged to meet that afternoon and set a price of $250 for the hour-long session. She told him that was her basic price for all clients, he said.
When Turpin asked the woman if the encounter would be worth it, she said, "you will be happy," according to police.
Hmmm. She's either a prostitute, or that ed-school training on how to raise self-esteem in students has really gotten out of hand. With no kids around, she's gotta go raise the "self-esteem" of lots of men with money to spend.
At the sparsely furnished apartment, which police said Williams had rented since May 2002 for $1,025 a month, Turpin said he confirmed the price and what sex acts she would perform. He said he then gave her the money -- marked bills -- and signalled for backup officers.
A "misunderstanding". Mmm-hmm. Sure. These kinds of situations happen to women all the time! It's even happened to me, once or twice. Just can't avoid 'em.
Copland said the salary range for teachers in the district is $40,000 to $70,000 yearly. Top pay goes to teachers with extensive teaching experience and advanced degrees, he said.
Does it specify what "skills" they can teach, or where they get their "experience"?
Ok, ok, I'll stop. The woman obviously has enough problems without me making fun of her. She doesn't plan to teach this coming year; a shame, because I was looking forward to seeing if the NEA was going to help her fight for her day job.
But c'mon. A woman who's making at least $40K as a "independent studies" teacher who gets nabbed for offering to sell an undercover cop some "happiness" - who needs fiction when you've got people like this?
Posted by kswygert at August 21, 2003 01:24 PM