Teacher's Lover at 12 Still Loves Her at 21

[DC09]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Now an adult, the former 12-year-old lover of Mary Kay Letourneau said on Thursday he still loved his ex-teacher and hoped they could be reunited now that she was out of prison.

Letourneau, 42, left prison in Washington state on Wednesday after serving seven years for raping her sixth-grade student, Vili Fualaau, with whom she had two children.

In an interview with NBC's "Today" show, Fualaau, who is now 21, said he still loved Letourneau and had asked the judge to lift a lifetime "no contact" order so the two could be reunited.

I can't be fully happy without her," said Fualaau.

Asked whether even after not seeing her for seven years, he was still in love with Letourneau, Fualaau said: "Yes I am."

Their affair, begun when Letourneau was 34 and Fualaau just 12, shocked the world and sparked a barrage of media coverage, including books and a television film. Fualaau has denied he was a victim and said the two were "separated without choice."

The Seattle-area teacher was sentenced to prison in late 1997, pregnant with Fualaau's child. She was paroled in January 1998 and barred from contact with him.

But she was arrested less than a month later when she and Fualaau were caught in her car at 3 a.m. after a night at the movies. Letourneau was sent back to serve the rest of her term in prison, where she bore his second child, confirming they had resumed their sexual relationship.

Letourneau's husband has divorced her and moved to Alaska with their four children, now aged 10 to 19.

Fualaau said he constantly thought about what it would be like to see Letourneau again.

"What am I going to say? Am I going to hug her first, am I going to say something nice? Say something romantic? Is she going to run to me or who is going to run to who?" he said.

"I want to see who she is and if she is still the same person I fell in love with," he added.

Fualaau's mother has custody of their two children, who were allowed frequent contact with Letourneau in prison.

Fualaau said he realized people were cynical about their relationship and said he was often urged to go out and meet girls his own age.

"People say there are a lot of other girls out there ... but other relationships have not made me happy," he said.

Asked whether he thought the relationship with Letourneau had been worth it, he replied: "I don't know yet. There's still more to come."

Article

Well, he's an adult now...

[Babs]

I don't know what to say....she has emotional problems...I think mental problems too. This is a disgusting story and a sad one too. One part of you wants to say let them be together...have a romantic ending....and the other side says no this has been sick from the begining. So much time has passed, they are different people today. It probably won't last (if they do get back together)....but at least they got another chance. (to figure it all out).

[wunarmdscissor]

I don't know what to say....she has emotional problems...I think mental problems too. This is a disgusting story and a sad one too. One part of you wants to say let them be together...have a romantic ending....and the other side says no this has been sick from the begining. So much time has passed, they are different people today. It probably won't last (if they do get back together)....but at least they got another chance. (to figure it all out). 

One thing that really bugs me is that if it had been a male teacher and a female pupil you would never make the comment...."One part of you wants to say let them be together...have a romantic ending...."

Child abuse is child abuse the woman is an abuser of children the punishment should be the same.

The way we think of women and men abusers should be the same ...they are both disgusting.

[Subtemperate]

I think the problem is the people cant understand there emotions and keep the sex part of the brain away from the caring..... Its ok to care for a kid, like it is a pet.... But getting attached in anyway...especially sexually... is out of the question... and a teacher..... Tell her to get a dog..... lol

[Babs]

I agree, wun.

[Michelle]

Ditto wun. The problem with the double standard is that ask most grown men and they would say they wished they had a teacher like that.

[MoonFox]

Agrees with Wun!

This is child abuse. A 12-year-old little boy had his whole life changed.

The reason he still probably 'loves' her is just a psychological/emotional attachment.

BTW... I wasn't even aware that a 12 year old is capable of impregnating someone..... So young

But yea I don't think that there should be any 'romantic ending'

There is NOTHING romantic about a teacher seducing a little boy who's only concerns in life should be Pokemon cards and baseball.

Just cause he's an adult now, doesn't change the fact that a normal childhood was taken away from him

[AztecInca]

What that woman did was disgusting and inexcusiable, that boy probably onlt still thinks he loves her from the deep psychological and emotional abuse he suffered. Hopefully he can move on with his life and get over her!!!

Maybe let him see her just once and let him judge her from more of an adult point of view, he is more mature now so let him see her for what she really is!

[Fluffybunny]

This is an odd case. If the gender was reversed of the couple people would be stringing a rope over a tree to deal with the abuser...

I was just thinking about my maternal grandmother, she was married at the age of 14, and had a child shortly thereafter. It was common to get married that young back then, but that has changed quite a bit in the past decades...

[Cradle of Fish]

Its funny how teachers rape kids and go to prison, whilst priests and reverends and Michael Jackson can get away with it.

[Novo]

I must say, im incredibly shocked at the lack of logic in these posts! I thought the people at um were better than that, yes exploiting children is wrong but clearly these people care for each other they guy raised his kids and kept in touch with the lady, hell ashton kutchers dating a lady whos 40 and hes only 20 something himself thats a larger gap than this.

[Seraphina]

hell ashton kutchers dating a lady whos 40 and hes only 20 something himself thats a larger gap than this

The point isn't the age difference...it's the fact that she took advantage of him when he was a child, and his entire life has been reshaped because of it. She invited him into things he wasn't old enough to understand at the time, and there's no doubt he's been extremely messed up by it all.

I agree with Wun....if this was a male teacher and a female student, there'd be no question about this situation...she was a teacher, who abused a pupil, and he's still not recovered from it. I say string her up.

[saucy]

Right on Sera!

[hunterkiller2001]

Wow.. Am I the only person who lost thier virginity at 14?

[VampChilde18]

Wow.. Am I the only person who lost thier virginity at 14?

Yes and no, i was 16, hey wait I am still 16, it wasn't even a year ago, (PS I'll be seventeen on the 29th)

[Babs]

Its funny how teachers rape kids and go to prison, whilst priests and reverends and Michael Jackson can get away with it.

Good point!

[Guest]

Wow.. Am I the only person who lost thier virginity at 14?

I was 15, but it doesn't really compare to a 12 year old though.

Its funny how teachers rape kids and go to prison, whilst priests and reverends and Michael Jackson can get away with it.

Well, Michael Jackson hasn't been proven guilty yet. (But that's a whole other issue).

But priest are definately getting away with too much.

[hunterkiller2001]

I was 15, but it doesn't really compare to a 12 year old though.

Actually, It's very comparable. You at 15, me at 14.. and this kid at 12 are all "illegal" because by (US) law, a person is not able to consent until thier 18 (with some variation around the country)

Can a 12 year old consent to sex? Of course they can. 150 years ago, people 12-16 were married. They consented. Only now, in our fluffy plastic coated, child protecting society do we try to guard our children from "bad things". Sex isn't really a bad thing. It's just viewed as taboo by our society. If the kid was able to physically HAVE sex, and get the woman pregnant, then he's obviously sexually mature. He's acting on feelings, and hormones, and I really doubt the teacher had to seduce him into it.

When I was that age, 7th grade or so, I wanted to screw one of my teachers. I would have sold my soul to do it.

[Circles]

"CHUPACABRA DOESN'T EXIST ....... GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULLS, THERES NO EVIDENCE THEREFORE THERE IS NO CREATURE *pant pant pant* now if anyone has any REAL evidence, let them bring it forward and i will change my theory."

Absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence.

[Dancing_Dumplings]

"CHUPACABRA DOESN'T EXIST ....... GET IT THROUGH YOUR THICK SKULLS, THERES NO EVIDENCE THEREFORE THERE IS NO CREATURE *pant pant pant* now if anyone has any REAL evidence, let them bring it forward and i will change my theory."

errr wrong thread dude *sigh* spam

12 and 34....thats a huge gap.....now i can understand say...24 and 29..5 yrs gap...its nothing when ur that age....but say it was the same people but they got together at 10 and 15...thats just weird...i guess its all depends on how many yrs they have between them and how old they were when they got together, inorder it to feel strange and not right.

150 years ago, people 12-16 were married.

ugh!! a 15 yr/o marrying a 40 yr/o......thats just sick

Edited August 23, 2004 by Anti_girl17

[seventh_son]

Ain't love grand?

[hamellr]

150 years ago, people 12-16 were married.

ugh!! a 15 yr/o marrying a 40 yr/o......thats just sick

Even less - my Great Grandmother was 13. My Great Grandfather was 45 and on his third wife.

It's acceptible in other countries. Go to Asia, or South America. Read up about the sex trade in these areas, families are willingly selling thier children as sex slaves at those ages - and most of the time the kids are going along with it to help their families.

Only Western society sees it as a bad thing. I mean there is a lower limit, but if you're mature enough to have sex... then what is the big deal? Perhaps we should be less hypocritical about it and throw all the people who have children under the age of 18 into jail. Even if both partners are under age. Put them both in jail.

[KindredSpirt4125]

I was 15...

Anyways, I really don't think this constitutes as rape though. Obviously he was very willing and still is. Rape is when someone forces you to have sex with them against your will, this is not the case in this situation. Yes, he was young, but it was his decision to do it. Plus they have 2 kids together, and are still in love. I saw let 'em go at it, he's legal now. I don't think the government can tell him who he can and can't date now. If he wants to date a sex offender, let him date her, It's his baby mama for godsakes!