WEST JORDAN, Utah – A former Riverton High School teacher was only sentenced to 18 months of probation, a $900 fine and community service for having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student.

Courtney Jarrell, 22, was convicted of three misdemeanor counts of sexual battery due to her relationship with a female student, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. She lost her teaching certificate for her actions, and the judge felt like that was punishment enough.

Jarrell seemed to feel very sorry for herself Tuesday during her sentencing hearing.

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“I’ve lost my teaching license – that’s something I worked very hard for, and I’ve been punished throughout the whole year” Jarrell was quoted as saying. “I’ll never be in a school again like that. I don’t even know if I can go on field trips with my nieces and nephews again.”

We would certainly hope not.

The guess here is that if Jarrell were a male teacher, he would be rotting behind bars for quite some time. But nobody wants to see a nice, young, attractive female teacher in jail, even though she raped a student.

And rape is the correct word. Teachers are in a position of authority and guardianship over students. It’s a sacred trust between teachers, students and parents, and Jarrell, in her selfishness, crossed the one line that should never be crossed.

Prosecutors in the case reportedly acknowledged that Jarrell’s relationship with the student was consensual, but that should make no difference. The student bears no responsibility in a case like this. The responsibility for self-control falls completely on the teacher – the adult mentor – and Jarrell failed miserably.

If she was really so much in love, couldn’t she have waited the short time until the student was 18 and a graduate?

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Jarrell deserves far, far more punishment that what she received.