Florida teen fights expulsion and criminal charges for same sex relationship

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Most high school seniors are excitedly preparing to put on their cap and gown and looking forward to the future right now. Kaitlyn Hunt, 18, is instead fighting bigotry and hoping she won’t be forced to go to jail instead of college. Her crime? Dating another student – a female student. Kaitlyn’s family took her story public on May 17th, via Facebook.

Hunt was a highly respected student at Florida’s Sebastian River High School with good grades and participation in cheerleading, basketball and chorus. She was even voted “most school spirit.”

All of that changed when she started dating a fellow student, a girl she met on the basketball team, at the beginning of the school year.

According to Kaitlyn’s father, Steven R. Hunt, Jr., the relationship caused waves at the school from the start. His daughter was dropped from the basketball team because the coach feared a same-sex relationship would bring unwanted “drama.”

Then the family was shocked and devastated when police came to their home in February to arrest Kaitlyn. She was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 – 16 years of age.

Kaitlyn, is 18, but her girlfriend was 15. The girl’s parents pressed charges. Hunt’s mother, Kelley Hunt Smith, says the other set of parents have made it their mission to destroy her daughter’s life, all because they can’t accept that their child was in a same sex relationship.

The girl’s family petitioned the school board and got Katilyn expelled from school, weeks before graduation. This decision was made in spite a judge declaring she could continue to attend school as long as she didn’t have contact with the girl.

Kelley explained,

"They are out to destroy my daughter, because they feel like she ‘made’ their daughter gay. They see being gay as wrong and they blame my daughter. Of course, I see it 100% differently. I don’t see or label these girls as gay. They are teenagers in high school experimenting with their sexuality – with mutual consent. And even if their daughter is gay, who cares? She is still their daughter.”

The heartache for the Hunt family continues even with Kaitlyn forced out of the school. Steven said their younger child is also a student Sebastian River High School and is forced to see words like “criminal,” “rapist” and “child abuser” written about her sister on the bathroom walls at school, despite his pleas with the school to do something about it.

Kaitlyn has been offered a plea deal of house arrest for two years, plus a year of probation. This would delay her entering the next phase of her life and stay on her permanent adult record, limiting her career choices.

Her parents say all of this is because she fell in love with another girl and that girl’s parents couldn’t handle it. They are urging the public to step up to “stop the hate, free Kate” by signing a petition they will present to the Indian River County State Attorney’s Office. Click here to sign. You can also learn more about Kaitlyn Hunt’s story on the Free Kate Facebook page.

http://www.examiner.com/article/florida-teen-fights-expulsion-and-criminal-charges-for-same-sex-relationship

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So if Kate was an 18 year old boy that gets into an intimate relationship with a 15 year old girl and that girl's parents pressed charges, then Kate would also be in trouble with the law, no?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

So if Kate was an 18 year old boy that gets into an intimate relationship with a 15 year old girl and that girl's parents pressed charges, then Kate would also be in trouble with the law, no?

Apparently so.

[GandD 5,966]

So if Kate was an 18 year old boy that gets into an intimate relationship with a 15 year old girl and that girl's parents pressed charges, then Kate would also be in trouble with the law, no?

Prob but the likely hood of that is much less. But there prob needs to be a new perspective on these laws. No one wants adults taking advantage of minors. But, is a high school senior (18) dating a high school freshman( 14) (regardless of their gender) really felony and sex offender worthy? We've prob all seen it happen and cringed a bit. But not worth ruining lives over.

[BaBamSam 239]

The law itself is one issue to discuss. The intent of the law is to prevent adults from taking advantage of minors, but both of these students are in high school. So many relationships in high school exist between 18 year old seniors and 16/15 year olds. They rarely get reported.

The second issue to this case is that there is clearly cases of homophobia going on. Kicking her off the basketball team shows that the school is pretty bigoted to begin with (if it was the school basketball team, of course). It sounds like the other family has some serious issues with their child being gay and are taking it out on Kate and her family.

[decocker 7,198]

So if Kate was an 18 year old boy that gets into an intimate relationship with a 15 year old girl and that girl's parents pressed charges, then Kate would also be in trouble with the law, no?

unfortunately, there are quite a few undeserving young adult men who end up on the sex offender registry for life because of this scenario.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

If you are against abortion, especially for minors, then a little homosexual experimentation should be a welcome release for pent-up teenage hormones.

[GandD 5,966]

If you are against abortion, especially for minors, then a little homosexual experimentation should be a welcome release for pent-up teenage hormones.

Plus, she's not the worst looking girl I've seen.

[duraaraa 203]

This is why age of consent laws are stupid. Treat these cases on a case by case basis, based on the ability to give consent. It seems somewhat obvious that the relationship was consensual to the two girls involved and the only problem comes from the parents.

So, I guess the lesson to learn is to keep your high school lesbian relationships as secret as possible from everyone...

Edited May 18, 2013 by duraaraa

[Pooky 3,809]

This is why age of consent laws are stupid. Treat these cases on a case by case basis, based on the ability to give consent.

And if you do that, the lawyers will have a field day arguing the ability to give consent and you would condemn an already flawed system to utter futility.

But the lawyers will make more money.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

So if Kate was an 18 year old boy that gets into an intimate relationship with a 15 year old girl and that girl's parents pressed charges, then Kate would also be in trouble with the law, no?

Yes. We had a very famous case here. Genarlow Wilson. He was 17 and the girl was15. About 1.5 years difference in age. He did time in the Pen. 3 years I think.

Big injustice.

Plus, she's not the worst looking girl I've seen.

She is hot with those Big eyes. More power to her

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Yes. We had a very famous case here. Genarlow Wilson. He was 17 and the girl was15. About 1.5 years difference in age. He did time in the Pen. 3 years I think.

Big injustice.

Genarlow? The parents should have done time for giving the poor boy such a ridiculous name.

[Darnell 8,478]

Man, it sucks to be 18 in Florida at the moment, aye?

[Darnell 8,478]

This is why age of consent laws are stupid. Treat these cases on a case by case basis, based on the ability to give consent. It seems somewhat obvious that the relationship was consensual to the two girls involved and the only problem comes from the parents.

So, I guess the lesson to learn is to keep your high school lesbian relationships as secret as possible from everyone...

IMO, the flaw in the entire relationship was,

that the elder lass not get a signed release form from the younger's parents.

Have that? no worries about tribbing, anytime, anywhere, anyhow.

[BatmanUSA 105]

The basketball team has a rule against dating other team mates.. has nothing to do with gender...