EDITORIAL: Reformed Sex Offenders Deserve Equal Opportunity
Posted on: 10/1/08 Section: Opinion
PCC has received much scrutiny since the Courier first reported that former PCC football player Darryl Stephens was arrested on a charge of assault on Sept. 2.
Subsequently, coach Kenny Lawler was put on administrative leave, and is now under investigation, bringing the issue of accountability to light.
Stephens' history as a registered sex offender, who is accused of violating his parole, raised an inevitable question: Why was he allowed to play as a Lancer?
The question turns on whether any registered sex offender should be allowed the same privileges as students without a criminal record.
We believe the answer can be found in something coach Lawler said in an interview:
"[Stephens] was a student athlete trying to rebuild and rehabilitate his life, and football was a part of that," he said.
Such a depiction could easily fit many people who attend community college - simply tag a different career to the end.
In that light, anyone who looks to readapt into society through his or her education, even registered sex offenders, deserves support.
Even more so when they have served a sentence and thus paid their debt to society, like Stephens.
What purpose does a community college serve if not for someone to restructure their life?
Under our current correctional system, people like Stephens are marked for life under Meagan's Law, severely limiting their choice in career.
Why continually punish someone who is seemingly getting his or her life together?
In a prepared statement by PCC officials, they stated that, "[PCC] does not condone the recruitment of players who have a record of sexual offenses."
If that were true, why did it take Stephens' arrest, numerous phone calls and stringent media coverage for the campus to take a stance?
ABC 7 News had a broadcast report - albeit the Courier was not properly sourced - from PCC featuring students' response when told there was a registered sex offender on campus - the typical one being shock and horror.
Such reactionary and emotional responses are what we would expect from someone who does not know all the facts.
Before that fateful day, Stephens was like any other student (except for the GPS ankle bracelet) who was given a chance to play football; who is to say he will not go on to have a successful career?
Trust the system and let students (sex offender or not) enter our facilities and make a life for him or her self.
Subsequently, coach Kenny Lawler was put on administrative leave, and is now under investigation, bringing the issue of accountability to light.
Stephens' history as a registered sex offender, who is accused of violating his parole, raised an inevitable question: Why was he allowed to play as a Lancer?
The question turns on whether any registered sex offender should be allowed the same privileges as students without a criminal record.
We believe the answer can be found in something coach Lawler said in an interview:
"[Stephens] was a student athlete trying to rebuild and rehabilitate his life, and football was a part of that," he said.
Such a depiction could easily fit many people who attend community college - simply tag a different career to the end.
In that light, anyone who looks to readapt into society through his or her education, even registered sex offenders, deserves support.
Even more so when they have served a sentence and thus paid their debt to society, like Stephens.
What purpose does a community college serve if not for someone to restructure their life?
Under our current correctional system, people like Stephens are marked for life under Meagan's Law, severely limiting their choice in career.
Why continually punish someone who is seemingly getting his or her life together?
In a prepared statement by PCC officials, they stated that, "[PCC] does not condone the recruitment of players who have a record of sexual offenses."
If that were true, why did it take Stephens' arrest, numerous phone calls and stringent media coverage for the campus to take a stance?
ABC 7 News had a broadcast report - albeit the Courier was not properly sourced - from PCC featuring students' response when told there was a registered sex offender on campus - the typical one being shock and horror.
Such reactionary and emotional responses are what we would expect from someone who does not know all the facts.
Before that fateful day, Stephens was like any other student (except for the GPS ankle bracelet) who was given a chance to play football; who is to say he will not go on to have a successful career?
Trust the system and let students (sex offender or not) enter our facilities and make a life for him or her self.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 11
SexOffenderIssues
posted 10/02/08 @ 2:59 PM PST
http://sexoffenderissues.blogspot.com/
First, let me get this out. I am totally against ANY form of abuse to any human being. And I believe anyone who murders another human being should be in prison for the rest of their life (until they die). (Continued…)
Tried By Conscience
posted 10/02/08 @ 3:16 PM PST
The punishment given for these offenses is one delimited by the court, as being the proper punishment. Adding to it via legislation or community action does not serve any of the purposes of justice, nor will it take away the actions done. (Continued…)
getthemout
posted 10/02/08 @ 6:59 PM PST
Get these predators off of our campus, they don't belong here and should have lost there rights after they were incarcerated. Keep them away from us and off our campus. (Continued…)
Justadadathome
posted 10/03/08 @ 8:05 PM PST
http://www.cfcamerica.org
Citizens for Legislative Change, America.
If the courts sentence a person for a crime. And that person serves their sentence out fully. (Continued…)
JacquelynHorst
posted 10/05/08 @ 10:38 AM PST
As noted from 'Getthemout', it only shows how many are mis-lead, mis-informed and true ignorance.
TimP
posted 10/06/08 @ 11:42 AM PST
"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation. (Continued…)
MSLGWCEO
posted 10/06/08 @ 9:53 PM PST
Girl, 15, accused of sending nude photos over phone
How does making a 15 year old, who did one bad thing, a Tier II sex offender protect anybody? Do these people really think she is a danger to children for one bad mistake? This is insane! Ruin a child's life, before it even begins! How is that justice?
There are 10 year old sex offenders who are now in their teens and 20's. (Continued…)
Cruel and unusually punished
posted 10/26/08 @ 8:50 PM PST
In Florida following this;
http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/documents/AdamWalshAct.pdf
Law enforcement went to people that had entered pleas 30+ years ago and drove them to the sheriff's office and made them register as sex offenders, at first it did not effect the people that was already working for companies, but slowly those people were laid-off or something to get them from there employment, 1000's of petitions were filed to try to withdraw pleas all of our courts denied everybody, in Florida nobody will hire a sex offender. (Continued…)
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