Spoon feeding semen to kids

[LSN80]

Thanks to Guy for breaking this one for me in the Bar Room. After reading some of the comments that followed, I'm going to try something new here. You'll see.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0201-teacher-20120201,0,5063298.story

I should note as a caveat that this is just the original story from the Times regarding this. About five or six others have been posted since, including new evidence showing he was the target of an investigation in 1990 as well, regarding Berdnt "moving his hands under his desk in a vigorous manner."

By now, I'm sure most of you are familar with the story. BHerndt, a 61 year old teacher with 30 years tenure in the profession, is being charged with 23 counts of committing lewd actions on children. This was Berndt's idea of "playing a game", as he tied his students up, then fed them "sweet sauce" over cookies. Tests run from recovered spoons from the classroom confirmed that they were a match to Berndt's Semen. So that "good sauce" he was feeding them was actually semen. Berndt was fired over this in March of 2010, but allegations are that this went on for three years.

Police officials note that the investigation has been taking place for more then a year, and was started as a resultof some pictures who had developed at a one hour photo type business. This means he was still employed at the school when he was under police investigation.

I posted this before in the Bar Room, and I'll re-post my quick sentiments here:

A thirty year teacher as well? People don't just become this way brazen overnight, and certainly not this depraved. They need to look closer into his teaching history. They'll unfortunately find much more.

I mean, how in the hell does this go on for three years, in the open? None of those kids went home and when telling their parents about their day, mentioned this? I just don't understand how this happens in this day and age, given our heightened senses of awareness surrounding sexual abuse and the classroom. People look for it even when it's not there in this day and age, and this slips through the cracks for so long? Surreal to me.

I stand by this. As was already discussed, Berndt had been investigated twenty years ago for possible lewd behavior, but nothing became of it. But for this to happen over a three year period, without secrecy? The school district doesn't share the blame here, but they deserve part of it, in my opinion. How is this done in the open, with the school thinking this is appropriate behavior? You mean to tell me that kids didn't mention this to their parents udring this time(Hey mom, I was tied to a chair and fed tasty sauce!")? Hard to believe. Anyway, as promised, I'm going to do sdomething different, and share some of the comments from the Bar Room here.

At least that stopped it after only 3 years.

With all sarcasm noted, I agree. It's incomprehensible how this went on for three years with no intervention whatsoever.

How can someone get so fucked in the head?

Over time. As I noted in my post, I think they should take a long look into his history, and that was before I read the story of him being investigated in 1990. This happens over time. Sometimes it starts with porn, and for some individuals, that becomes a slippery slope. They need more depravity, so they search out gruesome porn. That's not enough, so kiddie pron is the next step, and so on. Soon, watching isn't enough, and they need the actual contact with individuals they desire.

I believe it to be a trait someone may be born with, but the scientific evidence is inconclusive. If it is, the smart ones get help. Those that don't? Meet Mark Brandt.

Here's what I don't understand... if you're not looking to go to jail, why would you have the pictures developed at a GOD DAMN PHOTO LAB?

The idiocy of some people amazes me.

Because he's been getting away with it for so long(perhaps since 1990), he probably thought himself to be bullet-proof at this point.

Quick question: How does someone this fucked in the head even become a teacher? Do they not Screen Applicants or is this country so desperate for teachers schools will hire anyone?​

Actually, states like mine have an overflow of teachers, so many can't get hired. Brandt was a well-respected, well-liked teacher who kept in contact with parents of children long after they left his classroom. In fact, they invited him to their kids birthday parties!

Heavy screening is done, but he's a 30 year veteran, so its not like he just recently got the job.

Im done, so I'll turn this over to you:

How could this have possibly slipped through the cracks for three years?

What would be the appropriate punishment for Berndt?

Once inside prison, what do you think will happen to him?

All other thoughts and discussion on this are welcome and encouraged. As usual.​

 

[H33LTurn]

I heard of this a while ago and its just utterly sad. I know its not popular opinion but I think everyones a victim. The children are a victim to the teacher and the teacher a victim of God knows what. The truth is no one wakes up in the morning and decides to touch children for the rest of their lives. Its a sequence of perversion that probably starts at the younger years of life and progressively gets worse. The example you provided is perfect and makes sense. It could most likely start with pornography and evolve into such a great desire of sexual risk that they turn to doing things with children. This man was a teacher, so being surrounded by children gave him instant access to fulfilling his pleasures.

As for this slipping through the cracks for 3 years, it doesnt surprise me. The children probably had little to no knowledge of what was going on. Even if they did mention it to their parents I seriously doubt a third grader can develop an accurate account of sexual events. Or maybe they didnt even perceive the acts to be wrong or significant enough to mention. We know when children are uncomfortable they have a knack of speaking their mind. But eventually intimidation and ignorance wins the battle against a couple of 8 year olds.

I think the last two questions can be answered together. We know the way pedophiles and rapists are treated in jail. They're beaten. I dont think its worth it to take a man who was an otherwise normal individual and place him in a jail where those who kill for fun can beat him to death. He wont learn his lesson and I guess it might not be such a huge loss but eventually we're going to need a better solution than just locking these people up. Pedophilia is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. Maybe if we put these men in therapy and try to pry their minds in search of what caused this desire for children maybe we can help stop others before they actually end up hurting innocent children.

 

[Mustang Sally]

How could this have possibly slipped through the cracks for three years?

The notion of "hiding in plain sight" is a concept as old as man himself. If you're doing atrocious things, but instead of sneaking around while you're doing them, looking guilty and casting furtive glances around you, doing them as if it's no big thing, it's amazing how much you can get away with. Many people have such an authoritative manner that no one would look to question them as to what in hell they're doing.

In the case of Berndt in his classroom setting, the teacher tells and the children do. Their total trust is in the teacher; whether that trust is based on his authority or his manner doesn't matter to the children; they've been told by their parents to do what the teacher tells them to do. Either the kids didn't report what was going on....or they did and the parents never thought to question it.

It's hard times in the classroom no matter what age they are, I guess. Which is worse, having them so innocent at a young age that they can't measure for themselves what's proper and what isn't?....... or is it worse when they're in high school and telling the teacher to go f**k himself when told to be quiet?

As to the question of what happens to Berndt when he gets out of prison, hopefully authorities make sure he doesn't go back to teaching. Don't laugh; it could happen. A few years ago, a bank manager in our city was convicted of embezzling from his bank; the worst thing a banker can do, presumably. After a couple months in prison, he works today as Comptroller of the same city he worked for as a banker.

As Berndt was investigated in 1990 and made it through to commit his atrocities 20 years later, someone better be watching out for what happens when he's free again.

 

[¡Roján!]

1I'm going to keep this brief because most of what I think has already been said by both Sally and H33LTURN.

How could this have possibly slipped through the cracks for three years?

What Sally said. It's such an outlandish thing to think that a teacher, someone respected and generally looked on as an underrated clog in society, would be doing something so disgusting. It's like when you go to the doctor. You wouldn't quiz him as a child what he was injecting you with, would you? Nor would the parents stand-by and watch. He's someone you're supposed to trust and people get to worked up worrying about the stranger you don't know than the person your child meets with. It's totally understandable how it slipped through the cracks.

What would be the appropriate punishment for Berndt?

Being the sick crime it is, I'm not sure. It's not as if he raped the children but it obviously still isn't condonable, at all. He should be placed in jail for at least 15 years, placed on the registered sex offenders list and have a court-mandated shrink see him every week or so to find out why the hell he did it in the first place.

Once inside prison, what do you think will happen to him?

Let's just say, he'll be spoon-fed some semen of his own. I'm guessing, anyway.

 

[Blue Chipper]

There's not many news stories in this day and age that act upon my sense of right and wrong. This story, however, violently jerks at my morality. It does not surprise me, but this act is undeniably morbidly heinous. It's like the storyline for a dark horror movie, not real life. But, as I said, it does not surprise me, and that is because real life has scarily psychologically ill people. In an ideal world, every humans' influences, environmental and biological, would make them physiologically normal (i.e., what is socially and acceptably normal). Alas, sometimes the factors that influence a person can not sufficiently give them the moral and social normality.

That's all I have to say on this.