Kansas mom of two guilty of sex with teen boy

Cathleen Balman, 40-year-old former language arts teacher at Clearwater Middle School, Clearwater, Kansas, has been placed on three years on probation for having sex with a former student and ordered her to have no contact with non-relatives under the age of 18.

Balman, married mother-of-two, pleaded guilty in March to engaging in a year-long indecent relationship with a 15-year-old boy. She pleaded guilty to one count of indecent liberties with a child. Her trial on three counts of indecent liberties with a child was scheduled to start next day. Two of the charges were dismissed as part of the plea bargain.

Balman was arrested and charged in November 2011 with having an sexual affair with one of her students for more than a year. Plice began their investigation in September after detectives reviewed text and photo messages that had been exchanged between Balman and the student. As the investigation progressed, according to prosecutors, it reportedly became apparent that Cathleen Balman had become engaged in a sexual relationship with the student that spanned several months.

Because she had no prior convictions, the charge was in a “border box” on the state’s sentencing grid, which means the law makes no recommendation between probation and imprisonment. District Judge Terry Pullman concluded “by the narrowest of margins” that Cathleen Balman would be less likely to re-offend if she were placed in a treatment program rather than be sent to prison for 34 months as prosecutors were recommending.

When Cathleen Balman was then given a chance to address the court she told that she was really sorry for her actions. “It’s truly the biggest regret of my life,” she said. “I’m full of remorse. I take full responsibility for what happened. If given the privilege of probation I can assure you this will never happen again."

“I’d like to apologize to the victim and his family. I am truly sorry.”

After granting her probation, Pullman said told Balman that if she does re-offend, he will revoke her probation and order her to serve a 34-month prison sentence that will run consecutively to any new sentence she may receive. Meaning if this mother who likes to have sex with teens continues sexually abusing kids, she ends up behind bars.

Balman, who taught language arts to eighth-graders for three years prior to her arrest, had joined the school district in 2008 after teaching second-graders for one year at Argonia Elementary School.

Source:
Clearwater Teacher Cathleen Balman Granted Probation for Sex with Student