Boy Toy or Just a Boy?

Female teachers having sex with boys is a topic that drags with it many stereotypes, public apathy and even ignorance. What ideas do you have about these crimes? What stereotypes and judgements have you made? Are they accurate? Do you understand what can happen to a boy who gets caught up in this situation? What real impact, if any, does it have on the boy, the school and the community?

Buy this book at Amazon.com and SAVE! [2]

Boy Toy is a "Must Read" for anyone, including teens 16 or older, who want a better understanding of this particular issue and the problems an adolescent male can face. It grapples with the psychological impact in future relationships, dating and an adolescent males views on sex. It should be emphasized that this book is a novel. At Sexlaws.org, we are all about facts, statistics, and laws; however, occasionally, a novel comes along that is so well written, well researched and relative to the facts surrounding a particularly sensitive issue, that it enhances it's educational value.

The author Barry Lyga, offers a compelling view into how these situations can develop and delivers it from the boys perspective on the relationship. Frankly, this book could represent any one of the cases currently entering our court system. In addition, this is a novel you will have difficulty putting down once you pick it up.

The Myth: Adolescent males are not victims of sexual abuse when the sex act is consensual and perpetrated by a female teacher.

Fact: Unfortunately, many people, believe this myth.

If you want to read a good book and gain a better understanding of the impact the "female teacher - boy student" relationship has, this book delivers. Many people do not view boys as victims in these relationships and, in fact, tell jokes and create stereotypes that fit all adolescent males into one mold. Is this viewpoint accurate? Or, is it ignorant and irresponsible?

There truly needs to be a shift in thinking and better education on this issues and for those people out there who seemingly think these criminal cases are a joke, this book may help you understand just how serious they are. The issues a boy faces when they're drawn into these relationships are complex and painful. Sometimes, a novel comes along that really hits the mark. This is one of those times. It offers insightful, responsible writing that doesn't romanticize this act, but rather emphasizes the impact and reality of life from a boy's perspective. It's appropriately uncomfortable.

Author Barry Lyga wrote "Boy Toy" with compassion, feeling and intelligence.

This book delivers quality and honesty to it's readers on every level; it captivates you, while educating you all in one fell swoop [3]. Boy Toy is easy to read and the characters are extremely easy to relate to from the first page to the last. The characters come to life immediately as the book starts off with real intensity and doesn't stop. It is difficult to set this book down once you begin reading it. Boy Toy’s author does not disappoint when it comes to holding your attention, in an unsettling sort of way.

The main character, Josh Mendel has one of those secrets that everyone in town knows but doesn’t talk about; at least not so you can hear it. They protected him from the media so his name was never in the press or newspapers, but everyone knew and many lives were disrupted as a result.

Boy Toy is very realistic and very intense. This story could represent any one of the cases we've been reading about in the media. You will get to know Josh, the main character, very well and understand the boy toy title and stereotype. Whether you are a female or male reader there is something about Josh that everyone can relate to.

5 years earlier, Josh’s life was splintered into a thousand pieces. The book really takes you through Josh’s thoughts, insecurities, vulnerabilities, behaviors, ideas, relationships, his dreams and goals; everything your average teen would go through, except Josh is not average.

The book does have some strong language and sexual overtones. This would probably be more appropriate for the older young adults ages 16+.

Adults and teens alike will benefit from reading Boy Toy?

Boy Toy presents an honest view of what can happen in these cases involving older female sexual seductions of adolescent boys. It may help remove any stereo-typical ideas you have about sexually abused boys. It brings to light many complex issues that a teen faces going through an ordeal like this. Boy Toy will leave you feeling a lot more compassion for teens who have been sexually exploited and abused.

A sneak preview of chapter one [4] is generously provided for download by Barry Lyga at www.barrylyga.com/new/boy-toy.html [5]

Boy Toy Book Reviews

Caitlin's Boy Toy Review, a High School Senior's amazing essay about the book.
[6] Lyga's writing is not so explicit as to be called porn but just enough so you figure out what everyone is doing. Even so, there's the handy line on the back cover "Ages 16 and up" to prevent torch wielding mobs from burning down Houghton Mifflin's offices. People can be absorbed by a good book so that they can't stop talking about it, but few have ever been haunted by a book. Boy Toy was my literary poltergeist for the past few days, and it refused to leave me alone until I sat down for a few hours and finally finished it. http://www.barrylyga.com/new/boy-toy-caitlin.html [7]

The New York Times Sunday Book Review March 16, 2008 Childrens Books: "Transgressions" By Jack Martin
[8]Barry Lyga’s new novel, “Boy Toy,” takes one of the more uncomfortable themes of young adult literature — a sexual relationship between an adult and a minor — and pushes it past the genre’s farthest boundaries. This is an upsetting, intense, intricately drawn portrait of the fallout from a 12-year-old boy’s involvement with his seventh-grade teacher.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/books/review/Martin-t.html [9]

Teacher Student Sex abuse alerts

Just a few cases to hit the news from November 2007 - March 2008

Nebraska: Teacher Sex Abuse Cases Reveal Patterns by Oskar Garcia AP [10]
25-year-old math teacher Kelsey Peterson had a boyfriend a 13-year-old former student. People had complained to administrators three months earlier that Peterson spent too much time hanging out with the kids.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3850006 [11]

New Jersey: Digital Age Adds New Dimension to Incidents of Staff-Student Sex - By Lesli A Maxwell [12]
The 44-year-old guidance counselor would send text messages to the 15-year-old boy on the boy’s cellphone in the middle of the school day. But the messages had nothing to do with academics or counseling.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/11/28/13webabuse.h27.html [13]

Utah: Sex abuse crimes with juvenile perpetrators a trend of growing prevalence says county prosecutor - by Barbara Stinson Lee [14] “I’ve been prosecuting everything from curfew violations to attempted homicide,” Beas-Nordell told the Intermountain Catholic Nov. 9. “But juvenile sex crimes committed against juveniles are growing in number and the county attorney is making them a priority.”
http://www.icatholic.org/indstory/2007/200742p03.html [15]

Maryland: Local administrators stand ready to enforce zero-tolerance policies should abuse occur. [16]
"In my time here?" asked Skip Hackworth, superintendent of schools for Mineral County for the past five years. "I haven't ever had to deal with a case of adult-on-student sexual harassment or misconduct. If we did, that teacher would be terminated...http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_324091257.html [17]

International: Pregnant school girls paying the price for our follies! - by Demere Kitunga [18]
Arguments made by the latter draw a moral wedge by citing erosion of the social fabric. But if the number of girls leaving school because of pregnancy and other sexuality related complications is growing in such an alarming rate, can we boast of having a social fabric intact in the first place?
http://www.ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2007/11/26/103083.html [19]

Alabama: Sexual misconduct plagues schools across America - WAFF48 News [20]
"The standard for an employee in a school system should be hands off whether that student is 16 or at the age of consent or not," said Moore. But sometimes, Moore admits boundaries are crossed between students and teachers....and it happens everywhere. Students are raped...they're groped, seduced and think they're in love.
http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=7412256&nav=0hBE [21]

Florida: Coral Springs Mother Sentenced On Sex Abuse Charge -Ft Lauderdale CBS4 [22]
A Broward County substitute teacher has been sentence to 2 1/2 years of house arrest and 12 years of probation after she pleaded no contest to having sex with a 17-year old boy.
http://cbs4.com/local/coral.springs.deborah.2.596572.html [23]

Maine: Highlands teens found at hotel with teacher aide - By Amy McConnell Schaarsmith, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [24]
A teacher's aide for Highlands Senior High School in Harrison was questioned Friday for renting a hotel room where the police found beer, marijuana, an open condom wrapper and at least four teenage girls and boys, including several of her 15-year-old son's friends. http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/4476215.html [25]

Oregon: Teacher Arrested After Alleged MySpace Posts [26]
One of the boy's parents contacted authorities after noticing their son's MySpace page. Officers spoke with the boy and turned over their findings to police in Rainier, where Gleaves lives. Police said they believe the crimes happened at her apartment.
http://www.wmur.com/education/14857818/detail.html [27]

Utah: Sexy substitute gets no jail time Judge admits if case involved male teacher with female student, prison would be likely - WorldNetDaily.com [28]
A female high-school substitute teacher in Utah will serve no time behind bars for performing oral sex on a 17-year-old male student, despite comments from the judge that a man would have likely gone to prison. "If this was a 29-year-old male and a 17-year-old female, I would be inclined to order some incarceration," noted 3rd District Judge Mark Kouris during sentencing yesterday for Cameo Patch.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52044 [29]

Pennsylvania: Former Moon Teacher Arrested - High School Teacher Facing Sex Charges - [30]
Beth Ann Chester, a freshman physical education teacher until she resigned on Dec. 27, confessed to having sex with a 14-year-old student in a car in a parking lot, police said. Police said they seized the student's cell phone and Chester's computer as evidence in the case. http://www.wpxi.com/news/14985386/detail.html [31]

Vermont: Police Identify More Sex Abuse Victims [32]
Richard Foster, 52, was arrested in September after the mother of one of his alleged victims found sexually explicit images from Foster on her son's cell phone. Police have now identified a total of four victims. Court documents say the abuse took place last summer and fall. http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=7587300&nav=menu183_4_2 [33]

Georgia: Carrie O’Connor, 34, of Mount Vernon, Georgia and a Montgomery County High School guidance counselor [34]
Indicted on allegations of having sexual relations with a 16 year old male student in her car and in her home.
http://badbadteacher.com/carrie-oconnor-indicted/ [35]

Florida: Debra Lafave Arrested on Probation Violation for Talking to Teen Girl - FOX NEWS [36]
Lafave, 27, allegedly had contact with the minor — a 16-year-old co-worker — at Danny Boys' restaurant in Ruskin, Fla., in violation of her probation, FOX News has learned.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315052,00.html [37]

Massachusetts: Closing a sex abuse loophole - GateHouse News Service [38]
It shouldn't have to take a legislative act to warn teachers they cannot use their positions to engage students, even if they are over the age of consent, in a sexual relationship. But apparently it does. The Legislature held a hearing last week on a bill that would criminalize sexual relations between teachers and students younger than 18.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinions/editorials/x491909712 [39]

Virginia: Wythe County teacher arrested again - Karen Sue Patton is charged with molesting two other 13-year-old boys. - By Joe Eaton Roanoke.com [40]
A 41-year-old former Wythe County teacher who was arrested in January on charges that she sexually molested a 13-year-old student has been arrested once again, this time on charges that she molested two other boys. Karen Sue Patton, who last taught at Scott Memorial Middle School, was charged on Monday with three counts of carnal knowledge of a 13-year-old, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and one count of assault and battery of a minor, Wythe County prosecutor Gerald Mabe said this afternoon. http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/54775 [41]