Meet Sean Wellbaum. Sean used to be a school teacher at Gaspar de Portola Middle School in Tarzana, CA, part of the great Los Angeles Unified School District. But Sean won't be coming back this school year - he's taking, well, shall we say, a leave of absence for three years.
Mission to Ghana to feed starving children? Sabbatical to get his Master's degree? Well, we hope he meets his master, so to speak, because Sean was arrested back in February 2011 for molestation of a minor. And earlier this month took a plea bargain, getting three years in the hokey. No doubt to be spent in Special Yard rather than General Population, alas.
But here's the back story - Sean still insists he is innocent. He's just pleading guilty because he would have been railroaded in court and would have been facing a longer sentence. Yeah, sure - even though the DA hasn't a case, it makes sense to plead guilty to being a pedophile and face a post-prison lifetime of registry on megan's List, halfway houses, and mnimal chances for meaningful employment. Certainly can't go back to teaching, eh?
But wait, there's more! A week from tomorrow, Sean has to report to his new home and in the meanwhile . . . his former colleagues are throwing him a "going away" party! Yes, the principal - Adrienne "Drini" Shaha - believes poor Sean was "wrongfully accused." In fact, it seems a number of his colleagues have been taken in by this manipulating piece of shit and are sorry to see him go . . . so let's show him we care, gang!
Okay . . . just how fucking depserate can you be for cake? I mean, what was it - everyone had hoped last month to get a slice for Bob's birthday, but Bob is a Jehovah's Witness, so everyone missed out? But hey, Sean's leaving - there's still a reason to call the bakery! And none of that cheap Ralph's shit, either, get it from Von's. Oh, and hey - pot luck, guys!
But more importantly, how does this look for LAUSD? This raises questions, such as where this party will be - certainly, not on school grounds, I hope, and ix-nay on the Chuck E. Cheese - but more seriously, how safe are your kids in this school? When the person trusted with that safety - "Drini" - thinks it is appropriate to throw a "going away" party for a teacher who has pled guilty to child sexual abuse because he is "going away" to jail, you have to question the common sense of such idiots. Are public funds - hell, are union funds - being used for this shindig?!
If you want, here is Princiapl Drini's message at the school - sadly, it looks like there is only a contact form, but ask her if you can get an invitation. I bet the speech from Sean is gonna be great. Maybe they will pass a hat for him, though I hear cigarettes is the currency mostly used at his new digs. I wanna know - what the hell are they gonna write on the cake?! "Good luck, Sean?I" "Keep your back to the wall, Sean?!"
By the way - for fun, you can rate Sean Wellbaum as a teacher here!
3 comments:
Alas, we have had to bid adieu to our beloved math and science teacher. I personally watched as the good officers of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department escorted Mr. Wellbaum from the courtroom and to the "lounge," to await departure for his three-year (and might I say well-deserved) "vacation."
Unfortunately, there were no party hats or festive noisemakers this time. Just the painful words and tears of his victim and his victim's family. Wonderful people who did not deserve the years of pain they have, and will continue to, go through.
The gathering of Sean's friends was not thrown by the Ms. Shaha, nor was she even in attendance. Second, when your lawyer is asking for another $250,000 that you do not have, while the DA is promising to put you away for 20 years while threatening to add another 6 years for good measure (ensuring that you miss the college graduation of your young children), you take the plea. There was no money for a proper defense, and leaving your fate up to a public defender is unwise. Those of us who know Sean wish there had been a trial so that he had his proper day in court. Those who know the "victim" know what kind of a person he is.
Anonymous,
If those of you who knoew Sean wish he had his proper day in court - why didn't you all get together to pony up the money for a defense attorney?
Hell, if you threw him a "going away" party, dang, you could have had a car wash or maybe a bake sale for his benefit. Because who wouldn't want to buy a brownie to help an accused pedophile?
So, are you a teacher?
Post a Comment