What about when MOM is the abuser?

I wanted to talk about the Stephanie Ragusa case a little.  With her recently taking a plea deal and pleading guilty I thought it might be of interest to some people to look at how much was overlooked or ignored in her past leading up to these events.

Ragusa was arrested in March 2008 and charged with five counts of lewd and lascivious battery for acts against 14-year-old male student.  But there were red flags prior to this happening.  Ragusa's previous history included that she failed to disclose previous arrests on her job application and when the school district found out they hired her anyway.  She has a DUI and an Aggravated Battery charge that were both dropped but she was required to list them anyway. 

She was in the classroom for two years yet there were problems.  Her first year in the classroom, her principal reported her to the Child Abuse Hotline. Her second year, at her third school, that principal accused her of using profanity and telling students about her personal life.  And it gets worse from there.

According to the Tampa Tribune "In addition to the DUI and the battery arrests, on May 1, 2001, Ragusa was charged with first-degree petty theft, a misdemeanor. After she completed a pretrial intervention program in 2003 with the Salvation Army, prosecutors dismissed the charge. Failing to disclose information is not a reason to bypass a candidate, Linda Kipley, the district's general manager for professional standards, said. 

A school board member now suggests that any hiring procedure allowing a second chance should be reviewed. Ragusa's personnel file contains two letters of reprimand."

And it does not end here.  It just keeps going and going. 

She was arrested again in April on counts of sex with a minor and lewd and lascivious battery for another student when she taught at Davidson Middle School.  There was also some allegations that she lied on her resume as well.

Now after all that you would think it was over but no.  She was arrested again near the end of April.  She was apparently caught leaving the house of one of her victims.  According to police Ragusa had gone to the boy’s house to talk about her impending trial but the discussion ended up with the pair in bed. When Ragusa left the house the officers nabbed the 29-year-old and placed her back in jail.

And there was even more that went on during her time in jail.  Now she has taken a plea bargain and faces up to 10 years.  Her attorney had this to say:

At Ragusa's June sentencing, her attorney will argue for much less prison time. Herce says the two years Ragusa has already spent in jail is enough, especially when compared to similar cases. After having sex with a student, local teacher Debra Lafave avoided prison and was sentenced to house arrest and probation.

"I think comparatively speaking, she's (Ragusa) served a lot more time than most," said Herce. (source)

It is up to each person to decide for themselves if they think her two years in the county jail is enough time or not.  If it is fair or not.  Personally I think that Lafave should have gotten a much harsher sentence and I do not think two years is enough in this case.  Looking at the patterns of behavior prior to her plea deal says something.  And I am not in favor of just plain punishment.  I am in favor of trying to make sure that this person does not harm anyone again.