A former Southwestern City Schools teacher and coach was sentenced to six years in prison Monday morning.Benjamin Rutan, who was a teacher for 17 years and also
On-and-off rain and storms are already leaving standing water in some areas, and that will continue Monday and into TuesdayA former Southwestern City Schools teacher and coach was sentenced to six years in prison Monday morning.He also admitted it began when the student was only 14 and continued for several years until she was 19."You have stolen that little girl's future from her," the victim said, "but I refuse to let you take any more of mine.
The victim, whom ABC 6 is not identifying, said that Rutan, who was her language arts teacher at the time, told her he had first noticed her when she was 12 years old. "He stole the innocence of a child, and that child is me," the victim said. "It was never my fault, and will never be my fault. Not that I ever asked for it, but even if I had, it was his responsibility as an adult and a teacher to shut it down immediately and tell someone."A judge sentenced Rutan to six years behind bars. Rutan will also have to register as a tier 2 sex offender.
"I don't find comfort in knowing that his life is over as he knows it or knew it," the victim said, "but I do find comfort in knowing that he won't ever be able to hurt another little girl, the way that he hurt me. There are countless teenage girls who will never have to step into his classroom and possibly become his next victim and I will hold onto that for the rest of my life.""At the end of the day, I was the adult in the room," he said.
The woman said none of this happened in a vacuum. She is now filing a civil lawsuit against Rutan as well as the school board, and several past and present administrators.
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Former teacher sentenced to 6 years in prison for years-long relationship with studentA former Southwestern City Schools teacher and coach was sentenced to six years in prison Monday morning.Benjamin Rutan, who was a teacher for 17 years and also
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