Christian school principal convicted of sex charges in Sarasota

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Fri, Jan. 14, 2005


Christian school principal convicted of sex charges in Sarasota

Associated Press


SARASOTA, Fla. - The principal of a small Christian school was convicted of sexually molesting a female student.

The Rev. Jerry Lee Pitts, 38, was found guilty Thursday of lewd and lascivious battery and molestation. He faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced later.

Pitts, of North Port, sat stunned as the clerk read the verdict.

Pitts started a sexual relationship with a former Living Water Academy student who was 15 at the time. The girl is now 17.

The victim testified that she started attending the school in March 2002. Shortly afterward, Pitts sexually assaulted her in his wife's office, in a trailer parked on school grounds and in the computer lab.
(snip/...)

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/10642406.htm

[renaissanceguy]

1. Disgusting.

Let's see if he's excommunicated from his church. IF they're fundies, it's doubtful. Fundies can do no wrong.
http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.16472020

[saigon68]

2. He will ask JAYZEUS for forgivmness

Then he will be forgiven. Ala Jimmy Swaggert and (THAT I HAVE SINNED) plan.

I wonder if sex in a "school trailer" with a minor is the same as sex with a minor in a regular "single-wide" trailer. Maybe if the victim is also your sister/cousin/ etc.

LOL

[roenyc]

3. this is getting nuts.

in NYC 2 incidents last week. 2 18 year old girls and 2 middle aged teachers. 1 of the teachers had sex with one of the girls in a car. the other had oral sex with the other in the classroom.

get this - they cant fire the teachers cause they have tenure so they put them on desk duty away from the kids.

and this is the best. they are thinking of making it illegal for teachers to have sex with students. hello????

i guess because these girls were 18 it may not be rape. but dude i dont know these were old men in my book and i dont care how big these girls were. and believe me when i was 14 i looked 18 and kids in school thought i was a teacher. but it doesn't make it right. the teacher should know better.

along with the female teachers who just cant find a good man over the age of 21. :wtf:

you know i guess its always gone on. i had a gay teacher in the 7 th grade and he was a real nut job. a nice guy and a fun teacher but boy a man you dont forget. rumor was that he was doing some of the boys in the school.

and the religious nut who led our music class was removed from my elementary school for doing something to a little girl. this was back in the 60's. back then it was just whispered about it wasn't talked about loudly like it is today. and look at all the kids in the 60's abused by priests. there are a lot of sick fucks in the world. all i can say is warn your kids about it.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

14. One of the local jurisdictions here

Passed a law (MD?) that includes teens under the care of adults. If you are responsible for them, it's still rape.

So, they can't fire them. I'm sure someone here will defend the union position on that.

I won't. I would have fired them union or no and forced the union to go to court to get their jobs back. Make the union defend these slime and see how long people tolerate that.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

34. Hmmm, unions.

Maybe an agreement with the union could be made for cases like this. I'm sure that could be worked out, unless unions are evil commie anti-Christian pro-rapists entities, which they of course are not, wouldn't you agree?

[DemBones DemBones]

63. Nobody should be fired unless the charges are proven.

Often they're not and where teachers don't have a union a vengeful student can get a teacher fired with no proof. In some cases, one in the county where I live, the student has eventually admitted the entire story was made up because "I was mad at Mr. X."

Nobody wants teachers molesting students but let's be realistic and wary of bogus allegations.

[Judi Lynn]

4. She was probably given a quiz afterwards.

Boooohoooooo seems to be the saddest word!

[VegasWolf]

51. but she will be confused as to how long six inches is for the quiz. n/t

[VegasWolf]

50. but, if you have the classy double-wides, you can get off. n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. Also he's a man

I had a distant relative who went to one of these churches. The married minister seduced her and she became pregnant. They condemned her in church for her 'sin' but merely asked the minister to leave. I think that some of these churches have a double standard for men and women.

[TygrBright]

32. Ya Think?!?!???

>>I think that some of these churches have a double standard for men and women.<<

Say it ain't so!

naively,
Bright

[NYC]

43. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

She was ostracized. He kept it hidden and remained a clergyman. I forget what happened at the end. (I read that book a long time ago.)

[xchrom]

5. once again the conservative christian community proves

they're as fucked up as can be.
talk the high road, and take the low road.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

15. Yeah, the WHOLE Christian community did this

Broad brush, meet the painter.

[RPM]

16. true, but....

I agree that statement was painted with an overly broad brush.

But, if you are going to belong to a group that identifies itself as the guardians "Moral Values" - which the modern conservitive christian movement does - I have no problem with the group being held to a hightened scrutiny when it comes to that particular value.

Doctors hold themselves out to be well trained and responsible, and legally they can be held to a higher standard when it comes to medical matters than the reasonable person would be. I have no problem with conservative christians being held to a stricter scrutiny when it comes to morality, since they are the self-appointed guardians.

Certainly, the answer to WWJD is not "hmmm, I think J.C. would go for it with this underage girl...."

[AliciaKeyedUp]

17. That's ridiculous

Few groups identify themselves as lacking moral values.

Hold the individuals to the standard, but don't blame the group when an individual falters.

Remember, Christianity is also based on forgiveness.

Now, as for the last, sure. Going after under age children is horrible.

[RPM]

18. Ridiculous - hardly.... Groups are accountable for their own...

"Few groups identify themselves as lacking moral values." - That's not the point; the point is that conservative evangelical christians have staked a claim (quite improperly - as i agree that few groups identify themselves as lacking moral values; yet they have claimed to represent) the moral values high ground. These "moral values" seem to be at the center of the group belief structure.

When a person is part of a group and fails to live up to the teachings of a group - the group is also at fault. For example, a family's failure to train a child to behave in public, and the child grows up unable to conduct himself appropriately in public, I blame the parents as much as the child. Quite simply, if christianity is the study and practice of christ's teachings and if denominations and congregations exist as a "family of god" to aid persons in their walk with god, I have to wonder what happened here to the traning and support that this asshole was supposed to recieve.

Christianity's forgiveness is part of the problem: Jerks like these figure that they can molest a child and they will be forgiven... Practically writes license for these people to behave poorly and then 'be saved'.

I am sorry, but if someone turns to christianity for all of their guidance in their life and to the christian commiunity for their support; I must question the value of the christian community in which he raised, trained and sustained if he cannot discern the inappropriatness of molesting a child...

Or did Leviticus not specifically tell him: to lie with a child is an abomination.... Perhaps he needed it spelled out for him.

As for me - I could care less about forgiveness; I am not christian (although raised in a christian household) and i do not care to extend to him forgiveness. I hope he is locked up and that prison life is very difficult for him.

[Judi Lynn]

19. Praise Jay-zus.

This "moral majority" is loud, obnoxious, shallow, immature, and undisciplined. It's about time they become highlighted as the ones who took the off-ramp, and not the standard bearers of the community of people who take the teachings of Christ seriously and thoughtfully.

[RPM]

20. Amen

I like the people who take the teachings of Christ seriously and thoughtfully.

[DemBones DemBones]

64. Bet you can criticize Muslims without saying "Praise Al-lah."

Bet you'd catch hell here if you said "Praise Al-lah."

[Judi Lynn]

78. You don't phase me. I grew up in a fundamentalist home. n/t

[DemBones DemBones]

89. You have to mock the name of Jesus in rebelling against your parents?

I didn't try to faze you, but to communicate that I am offended by what you said because it's rude.

I hoped you would see that you don't mock the name of Allah or other names of God and in fact would probably see that sort of mockery as a sign of anti-Islamic bigotry.

[Judi Lynn]

90. Rebelling? My parents started seeing through it all, themselves.

As they educated themselves by waking up over the years, reading a lot, starting the painful process of soul searching, distancing from emotional ties which had seemed to define their world as children and young adults, they moved away from that world. It's a process of individualization, and growing up.

A lot of people can't accomplish it. My mother did it more successfully, as she was a stronger person.

It's easy to see you as you play your games. People are not mocking the name of Jesus, but rather the people who seek to control others in the name of Jesus.

[Lerkfish]

25. you make valid points...

I'm a liberal christian, and I agree with you on the point that if a group makes the pretention of smugly having higher moral values, they deserver worse grief when individuals from that group do horrible things.
But I also think this comes as much from being in positions of authority and opportunity, than from religion. There are many nonreligious pedophiles in the world, as well, who find a way to place themselves in positions of authority over minors in order to get what they want. That does not mean the position of authority they sought is tainted in and of itself.

I think its more egregious when its a position of RELIGIOUS authority for several reasons, but one of them is because it increases the shame and reluctance to come forward for the victim.

I'm not particularly fond of conservative christians, mainly because they have completely misunderstood the teachings of Christ, IMHO, but they are no more likely to be child molestors than the general public, percentage-wise, I don't think, it just becomes a bigger news story when they are. There are lots of accountants and hot dog vendors that are pedophiles, too...it just doesn't make the paper that often.

[RPM]

27. I feel ya.

As you said (you) think this comes as much from being in positions of authority and opportunity, than from religion.

I think what makes it soooooo troubling is the combination of both the position and the religion.

1. The position creates a hightened expectation that the person would not molest a child. Your post illustrates the importance of this part of the equation. This test sets the height of the bar.

2. The religious training (because christian teachings certainly proscribe such a behavior) of the person in the position causes persons to let their guard down as a devoted adherent to christian teachings would not molest a child. To me, this part of the equation is the part that sets the expecatations of a person's ability to clear the bar (e.g. that an attorney or priest will keep confidence, or that a police man will be honest).

Thanks for your insightful post.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

73. Forgiveness is not a problem

It is a desirable goal in many cases.

And no, I do not have it in myself to forgive child molestors.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[peterh]

49. Forgive me for stretching the picture just a tad….

Hold the individuals to the standard, but don't blame the group when an individual falters.

But I’m hard pressed in swallowing that thought in light of the many other transgressions that have surfaced of late from the self-professed morals group in power….

[AliciaKeyedUp]

74. There are millions of Christians in the U.S.

A few stories of the actions a couple take good or bad are meaningless to gauge the entire group.

[mutus_frutex]

52. So, just remember what you wrote here

every time that that whole atheist community is blamed for some individual's crime... Just remember.

[progressivebydesign]

71. The most disgusting perverts I have ever met are BOTH born-agains..

..and currently belong to churches. And when I say perverts, we're talking sick.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

75. So those two people mean all Christians are perverts?

That's such a stupid comment it almost defies imagination.

[Zenlitened]

26. For those keeping score at home...

... please note that Xchrom's post referred to the "conservative christian community."

This statement was immediately twisted out of context into the "WHOLE Christian community."

:hi:

[AliciaKeyedUp]

76. That's still a broad brush

And many here seem to think anyone who is Christian falls into that definition.

[Zenlitened]

77. "That's such a stupid comment it almost defies imagination"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1150157&mesg_id=1152983&page=

[arwalden]

83. True... That Little Omission Didn't Go Unnoticed.

Some things are so blatantly obvious that it's comical.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

33. What part of "conservative" didn't you understand? (nt)

[arwalden]

82. No Matter How Focused The Criticism Is... If It's Against Any Christians

... than there's always going to be SOMEONE who will be personally offended and try to pretend it's against "ALL" Christians.

>> What part of "conservative" didn't you understand? <<

The answer is simple... they didn't understand it at all. For some people, any word that precedes "Christian" is either ignored, or interpreted as meaning "all".

For your future reference, here's how many around here interpret the following words:

Fundamentalist Christians = "ALL" Christians
Fundies = "ALL" Christians
Bible-Thumpers = "ALL" Christians
Zealot Christians = "ALL" Christians
RW Christians = "ALL" Christians
Fringe Christians = "ALL" Christians
Lunatic Christians = "ALL" Christians
Bigoted Christians = "ALL" Christians
Hate-Filled Christians = "ALL" Christians
Jerry Falwell = "ALL" Christians
The Pope = "ALL" Catholics

The list goes on, but you get my drift. No matter HOW specific someone is about WHICH sub-group of Christians is being scorned... there's ALWAYS someone here who will rush to defend them by pretending that an attack on one is an attack on all.

Some even try take it a step further by claiming that any criticism of religion itself is a "personal" attack on them. I presume that this is because they cannot differentiate between themselves and the religion. The two things are (in their minds) one and the same.

So... good luck with trying to make your point! But I'm afraid that for some, they are incapable of understanding the difference... and for others, even though they DO understand the difference, they simply pretend to be offended (for effect? to engage in conflict?).

You've seen it a million times before. This is nothing new. It's that old game of the aggressors and the predators pretending to be the "oppressed victims".

[Judi Lynn]

86. Great post. They remind a person of the big bad wolf

trying to resemble Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother.

They must be deeply aware that the hostility, the hatred they carry around with them is NOT the force in the teachings of Christ. They try to mimic those within the community of people with a larger, more inclusing view of life and other human beings.

Their actions give them away. Combative, seething rancor is NOT Christlike.

[sunnystarr]

88. You mean like the right wing declares that ALL liberals are

Commies? I bet someone can make a list as you did that Liberals equal every rotten, dispicable thing on this earth - as representated by right wing media. Hell we're not even Christians according to them.

I say fight fire with fire and play by their rules and throw it back at them whenever possible.

[The Zanti Regent]

6. Is he going to blame this on Clinton?

You know Falwell and Robertson will!

[Hekate]

7. I thought the whole point of trashing public schools was so

kids would be taken out of their dreadful worldly sinful influences and educated in private religious schools with our tax money.

Does this mean bad things can happen in Christian schools too? Especially with no government oversight or standards?

Well, at least the little dears will learn that God created the world 6,000 years ago and they won't be subjected to sex education.

Hekate

[grilled onions]

8. in the olden days..

all teachers were female and the majority were old maids who wanted to stay that way. While they were good at discipline warmth was not their strong suit. Todays generation of teachers seem to show too much warmth and some can't curb their own "hot flashes". :evilgrin:

[RPM]

21. he's forgiven

it's OK; forgiveness will make the whole thing better.

Or it may just encourage him to do it again.

Thank god for a legal system that holds persons a little more accountable - another win for a non-scripture based legal system...

[pinerow]

31. That has to be one of the most sexist and ignorant posts I have

yet to read on DU...

[biftonnorton]

47. Keep Reading :)

[hector459]

9. Ah, Ms. Lynn, your posts are some of the best finds on this board.

This is only the tip of a gigantic iceberg within the Evangelical/Christian movement. Derangement knows no religious boundaries.

[Judi Lynn]

22. Good to see your new posts, hector459!

Welcome to D.U.! It's a great place, isn't it? :hi: :hi: :hi:

[0007]

11. Would eunuchism solve the problem?

[Lerkfish]

28. don't think so...

Just as rape is a crime of violence, not sex...pedophilia is crime of robbing innocence, not sex. The sexual component is merely the weapon used to accomplish the injury. In absence of sexual drive, some other tool would be used.

[patcox2]

41. And pedophilia refers to pre-pubescents, not adolescents.

Sorry, its just the fact.

[Lerkfish]

58. what-ever...semantics, my point is the same.

[Megahurtz]

38. I think it would........

[Massachusetts]

12. Praise Gee Sus

Look out all you christians (intended small c), who are hypocrites, I see the Lawd train comin down the track.:evilgrin: O8) :evilfrown:

[Cooley Hurd]

13. The Reverend Jerry Lee Pitts?

There's a name right out of a Dukes of Hazzard script...

Given his crime, might he change his last name to "Lewis?" ;)

[oneighty]

29. Foul.

Lewis was not a preacherman.

180

[JanMichael]

35. Nope. But his cousin was.

nt

[oneighty]

36. My grandfather

was a Quaker. I am not.

Now as to marrying cousins?

Jerry Lee is related to Swaggart (SP)?

180

[Judi Lynn]

39. First cousins.

Here they are (or, uh, were) in the same photo with their other cousin, Mickey Gill, who is some kind of Texas character who owned a country music bar. Jerry Lee Lewis is gone, don't know about Mickey Gill.





Jerry, before becoming so deceased.

Jimmy

[mitchum]

67. Jerry Lee Lewis is NOT dead...

as hard as that is to believe :)

His continuing existence is my biggest argument for genetics trumping "healthy choices"

[Judi Lynn]

87. You're just trying to scare us! n/t

[NYC]

45. Jimmy Lee Swaggert.

"I have sinned."

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. kick

[oneighty]

30. And the lord said unto Noah

Go forth and multiply.

The man did no wrong.

SARCASM.

180

[malachi]

40. The hits just keep on coming. Another man of the church.

Minister gets probation, fine

W. Mark Bartlett had exposed himself to boys in a bathroom at a public swimming pool.

By Larry King

Inquirer Staff Writer


A Protestant minister was put on probation and ordered to steer clear of children yesterday after admitting he exposed himself to young boys in the bathroom of a public swimming pool in Bucks County.

W. Mark Bartlett, 47, former pastor of Levittown Wesleyan Church in Falls Township, pleaded guilty in Bucks County Court to indecent exposure and open lewdness
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/counties/bucks_county/10640366.htm

[ourbluenation]

42. send it to redmorals.com

[Judi Lynn]

44. Good suggestion. Never knew about that site until I read your post.

I just sent them the link.

Thanks for the idea!

[egoprofit]

46. prostitutes exist for a reason

these sickos--why don't they think first and get a prostitue instead of ruining a childs life because of their sick thoughts?

i find it so ironic that it's the religous people who find it ok to commit acts like this. it's really disturbing. these kids will never be the same, after something like this you sorta die inside. this is truly truly sad.

[DemBones DemBones]

65. Prostitutes don't appeal to these men. They have

a sickness, an abnormal desire for young sexual partners. Marriage doesn't "cure" them because they still desire sex with children or teenagers. The only solution is to keep children away from them, which isn't easy sinced they choose work that puts them near kids.

[WhiteTara]

85. rape is not about sex but POWER

he is a little man with probably a little dick who can only
build himself up by cutting others down.  I hope he gets
Granered!

[genieroze]

48. Sick. n/t

[VegasWolf]

53. Are they still referred to as "the Reverend" after they molest little

children?

[superconnected]

54. I always wonder if it has to do with sexual repression

Many christians are repressed - ie the fundamentalists.

I don't think it's natural for humans to be repressed like that. It's like food. You can starve yourself but eventually the body will start dreaming of food and changing to really focusing on it when you're awake. There have been great studies on food deprivation.

Why should sex be any different. The human body needs the release.
Now tell people sex is bad or "unholy" and let them deal with their urges. It opens the door for deceptiveness and under-the-table behavior.

[Montanan]

57. Fundies aren't sexually repressed...

...they're just hypocrites, hiding behind 'forgiveness', and the ersatz 'authority' with which they claim to operate. It's my opinion that every fetish and 'perversion' is alive and well within their community, but they are loathe to 'out' anyone because all would be tarnished.

That's the same reason that the secular media is always the first to expose scandal and corruption within religious organizations. Some religious people may disapprove of what goes down, but since they're all working the same scam to some degree, they tend to keep mum.

[adigal]

60. Chicken or the egg???

I was thinking last night about this - why are the fundies so afraid of sex??? I think it is because their own urges scare them. Instead of seeing them as healthy and normal, if you have urges, it means "Satan is trying to get you." And they are really terrified when their 14 year old son or 13 year old daughter starts maturing. Holy cow!!! They are old enough to have sex!!! So they repress, repress, repress; instead of teaching their kids that sex, as long as it is responsible and you are mature enough to handle the consequences, is normal and healthy, they make it dirty.

My mother did this with my sister and I - I ignored her, my sister took her to heart and she has serious sexual issues that interfere with her marriage.

[CoffeeCat]

62. The fundies and sex...

My opinion, the fundies seem to be obsessed with sex--but repulsed by their own obsession.

Hence, their preoccupation and disdain for "wardrobe malfunctions" AND their mountain of sex-abuse and child molestation crimes.

It's majorly f'ed up.

[Lilith Velkor]

55. Why do headlines always say sex when they mean rape? n/t

[RPM]

56. because journalism is dead

and no on, save the lawyers, understands nor cares to fuss over the meaning of words.

they do mean certain things, you know; and some words even mean different things than others.... :eyes:

I hate Bush's America

[Judi Lynn]

80. I'll bet it varies depending upon the identity of the perpetrator!

Since this man is a rancid, cheesey right-wing fundie, let's just call it something more placid than the cold, stupid, opportunistic crime it actually is.

[adigal]

59. Happened to people I know in NY

Teacher - 1st and 2nd grade, in a very right wing religious school. Families treated the teacher like part of their family - came to dinner, went on vacations with them. He had been molesting 5 boys in the 1st and 2nd grade for 1 1/2 years. What bothered me was that these kids were very tramatized and no one noticed for 1 1/2 years. I was seriously upset over the entire incident.

[shrike]

61. Predators just keep showing up in the helping professions

Athletic coaches and teachers do it, too; every so often it's made public.

Just finished the bio of John Paul Vann -- A Bright, Shining Lie. Vann was mentored and aided by a Methodist minister known for his championing of the poor and dispossessed. The man was also a pedophile. After the church finally defrocked him and the charitable organizations he was associated with threw him out, he took molesting boys in his neighborhood. He committed suicide by swallowing strychnine.

[DemBones DemBones]

66. So true, and the best protection parents can give their kids is to

give them really good info about sexuality and boundaries, and to not allow them to be alone with other adults, including family members. Many children are molested by older siblings, too, so parents have to watch out for that. Many parents seem to prefer a see-no-evil delusion even when bad shit is going on right under their noses. I saw this all too often as a teacher: "Not MY child" and "Not MY child's friends."

[sarcasmo]

68. Those Christian morals at work again.

Pitts was stunned as they red the verdict. I can imagine he was. Get the lube ready MR Pitts.

[KamaAina]

69. Not to be outdone is this Christian school teacher in Okla.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2952494#2952974

So how much longer before this becomes a full-blown (sorry), 24/7 scandal like the one in the Cathlolic Church? Hmmmm?

(crickets chirping) (tumbleweed blowing down dirt Main Street) (coyote howling in distance)

[leesa]

70. Another one? Are there any that DON'T diddle kids??

[superconnected]

72. actually the majority

[against all enemies]

79. I don't believe it - Don't Christian perverts usually like little boys?

[Judi Lynn]

81. Maybe it's a crime of opportunity, as in who's available! n/t

[WhiteTara]

84. he was stunned?

what a stinking piece of shit.  I hope he gets locked up with
a bunch of other perverts just like him and they
"explain" power over to him as only the Graners of
the world can