A former math teacher being sued in federal court for violating the rights of a student he slept with has come up with an interesting reason why he should not have to pay up. Julio Cesar Benavides, who is defending himself in court, says that he didn't violate the girl's rights and even if he did, he certainly didn't do it in his official capacity as a teacher, a charge at the heart of the complaint. The Post reports that Benavides recently wrote to the judge in the case to explain that in class he treated his then-14-year-old victim like "all the other students."
"My official interactions with [her] were always legitimate," Benavides wrote. "Never did I change her grade without there being valid academic reasons...I always treated her just like I treated all the other students." He says that all their hanky panky took place outside of school grounds.
Benavides already pled guilty in 2007 to carrying on a sexual relationship with the girl, lost his job and served nearly two years in state prison. He is now being sued by the girl's family for $3 million dollars. And their lawyer is having none of his excuses. "My client was raped," she told the Post, "she was taken advantage of—and Mr. Benavides was convicted of that. Mr. Benavides is liable for all civil wrongdoings he committed against my client."
Benavides is making a stretch with his argument—ask any kid: a student's teacher is still their teacher outside of class—but surely a number of pedophiles who have taken advantage of children in their charge will now be watching this one closely.
