Bill modeled after teacher sex scandal introduced

Friday, Feb. 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

"Personally, I think any addition is an improvement. I'm not really too knowledgeable on these laws, but I know what happened to me," Mouser said Thursday night.

Under the bill introduced by Sen. Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, in Carson City on Thursday, people employed in positions of authority by schools, colleges or universities would be prohibited from engaging in sexual contact with students ages 16, 17 and 18.

The measure, which now goes for review by the Senate Judiciary Committee, is modeled after Mouser's case.

And it's also the result of the efforts of one Pahrump mother who, for the past two years, has been pushing for legislation to punish teachers who manipulate students into consensual sex.

"Nevada had a loophole that 16 and 17 year old minors are left in the gap to be legally seduced," said Terri Miller, a parent of a student at Pahrump Valley High School, about 60 miles west of Las Vegas.

Mouser, now 19, was 17 when she had a sexual relationship with her English teacher and coach, Robert Worden. She is suing Worden, the Nye County School District, Principal Ron Eason and Assistant Superintendent Ron Pekarek for $900,000 and attorneys' fees. The lawsuit is still pending.

Worden admitted having sex with Mouser three times, but contends it was consensual. Mouser says she was simply too afraid to tell Worden "no."

Worden resigned and had his teaching license revoked, but no criminal charges were filed because the age of sexual consent in Nevada is 16. In addition, it is not illegal for a teacher to have sex with a student.

Another Pahrump teacher, 51-year-old Joseph Peterson, was sentenced last year to life in prison for sexual assault on a student in 1994. He will not be allowed to teach again if released.

"I just couldn't tolerate that no one would do anything about it," said Miller, who tracked down alleged victims and urged them to come forward.

"They (school officials) actually had victims come forward such as Becky. For them to just do nothing, it shows a great lack of compassion for our children."

Miller contacted McGinness in 1995 and began campaigning for legislation that would make it a felony for teachers like Worden and Peterson to seduce students.

At first, McGinness thought Mouser's case was an isolated incident. But, after phone calls from several other parents whose daughters had been sexually assaulted by teachers, "I became convinced that it was a little more prevalent," he said.

"The teachers were preying on these girls."

Miller and Mouser plan to testify before the committee. Miller is confident the bill will pass.

"Who wants to let a teacher legally seduce our children? ... Our children are our future."

Mouser now lives in Oregon where she works at a construction site and cares for her baby son. "It does make you grow up really fast. Maybe I'm at another level than kids my age," she said.

Even if the bill doesn't pass, Mouser said, "It really made a difference to me that they cared enough to look into it."