Found Safe TN - Mary Catherine Elizabeth Thomas, 15, Maury County, 13 March 2017 #12

[Kapua]

Hoping and praying for Elizabeth to come home today.

One thing that stood out to me from that 'how to disappear' article posted a few days ago was this (paraphrasing):

"Don't go somewhere obvious like Hollywood or Las Vegas".

I have been thinking about that ever since. I never thought of Hollywood or Las Vegas as ideal places to disappear, but maybe that's a common perception. You always hear "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." Hollywood... well, it's not what most people imagine, but it might be a good place to get lost...

We know that they went west from Tennessee. Did they continue west? If so, where were they going?

Thoughts?

 

[Irishboy]

SBM regarding the bolded part of your quote, even ET's mother mentioned seeing them together late last year (although I may call bs on her wanting to intervene due to the abuse allegations): 'Thomas told WHNT that she saw her daughter with Cummins over Christmas break. The mom of ten said she wanted to intervene but has a court order saying she's not allowed to be in contact with any of her children.'

http://ijr.com/2017/03/832059-teen-...tranged-mom-and-homeschooled-until-this-year/

If so then it must have been an open secret in that small town with everyone knowing everyone.

 

[OneParticularHarbor]

There is a really interesting dynamic surrounding the relationships between teachers and students. In my school (a million years ago) there was a girl in the grade ahead of me who was in a relationship with one of the school administrators/sports coaches (she played that sport.) EVERYONE knew. She was sleeping over at his house from when she was a sophomore, "babysitting" his kids when his wife was away. Her senior year he got a divorce, and the summer after she graduated, they got married. As a teenager, my friends and I thought SHE was in the wrong for seducing him, and were jealous that she got so many special privileges from him. Holy &^%$ was I wrong about that, but I didn't change that view until I was an adult and thought about it. Looking back, I firmly believe that if he had gotten in trouble for his actions, the students would have rallied around him and vilified her. All IMO of course, but I can see how ET's fellow students would think the manipulation was the other way around, and maybe even some of the teachers if they only knew TC as this good amazing holy man.

 

[Mom24]

The LE angle of friends has me concerned how thorough of a job was originally done when they first disappeared.

Sorry, didn't mean to suggest they wouldn't do a thorough job intentionally because they're chummy, but more that it can be hard to put preconceived notions aside when investigating someone you know. At first they may have made some mistakes because they thought they knew TC. When you know someone, or think you do, it can be hard to believe they'd do certain things so you don't notice the obvious. I do think LE initially looked at this as a romance, I mean even his friend the DA used that word. I think when outsiders got involved it was a bit of a wake up call. It's a small town and people know each other and it's why these people can hide under the radar for so long. TC sings a love song to a student, alone in a closed room, and it's just Tad being Tad, he's harmless. So when TC initially took ET I think they all just assumed they'd be back in a few days when the money ran out, after all it's just Tad, grandpa, the church going christian who had a moment of indiscretion. I'm sure they've been thorough, but they've looked at the evidence with rose colored glasses.

 

[Shelby1]

There is a really interesting dynamic surrounding the relationships between teachers and students. In my school (a million years ago) there was a girl in the grade ahead of me who was in a relationship with one of the school administrators/sports coaches (she played that sport.) EVERYONE knew. She was sleeping over at his house from when she was a sophomore, "babysitting" his kids when his wife was away. Her senior year he got a divorce, and the summer after she graduated, they got married. As a teenager, my friends and I thought SHE was in the wrong for seducing him, and were jealous that she got so many special privileges from him. Holy &^%$ was I wrong about that, but I didn't change that view until I was an adult and thought about it. Looking back, I firmly believe that if he had gotten in trouble for his actions, the students would have rallied around him and vilified her. All IMO of course, but I can see how ET's fellow students would think the manipulation was the other way around, and maybe even some of the teachers if they only knew TC as this good amazing holy man.

Interesting.

Similar experience happened at my high school. Didn't go as far as divorce/marriage, but everyone knew the student (female) was seeing the married teacher (male). And, yeah, we all blamed and judged the student, not the teacher.

 

[staunchcharacter]

Interesting.

Similar experience happened at my high school. Didn't go as far as divorce/marriage, but everyone knew the student (female) was seeing the married teacher (male). And, yeah, we all blamed and judged the student, not the teacher.

Not at my school but some of my friends a year ago had someone from their class going after their former teacher for sexual abuse and other charges and in one of my friend's post about it, all her former classmates were attacking the girl in the comments and saying she seduced him and was a *advertiser censored* and knew what she was doing. It was clear they all knew about it in high school and obviously didn't think anything of it or report it. It's a sad reality to see how these young girls are treated by peers and community members in these situations. Also to see how few students would report something.

Another friend of mine was dating a substitute teacher in his late 20s from our high school and even her parents knew and didn't care and my wife had a high school friend dating a teacher and all their friends knew and would hang out in his classroom. None of us teenagers in either situation reported or thought to report anything.

 

[Blythe]

There is a really interesting dynamic surrounding the relationships between teachers and students. In my school (a million years ago) there was a girl in the grade ahead of me who was in a relationship with one of the school administrators/sports coaches (she played that sport.) EVERYONE knew. She was sleeping over at his house from when she was a sophomore, "babysitting" his kids when his wife was away. Her senior year he got a divorce, and the summer after she graduated, they got married. As a teenager, my friends and I thought SHE was in the wrong for seducing him, and were jealous that she got so many special privileges from him. Holy &^%$ was I wrong about that, but I didn't change that view until I was an adult and thought about it. Looking back, I firmly believe that if he had gotten in trouble for his actions, the students would have rallied around him and vilified her. All IMO of course, but I can see how ET's fellow students would think the manipulation was the other way around, and maybe even some of the teachers if they only knew TC as this good amazing holy man.

Insightful. You were the minors and peers. The troubling reaction about ET's situation are the adults. The school apparently was ill-prepared to handle what transpired between a teacher and this student. There were telling signs and dubious history of TC's behavior and the response egregiously lacking. I'd rather be reading a story about a decent teacher falsely being disciplined for being to close to a student.

I wonder if there was bias because ET had been home schooled.

AT is handling this prudently. He has good legal advice, I hope. His shout outs to his daughter are poignant and loving.

ET get home soon.

 

[Kapua]

Insightful. You were the minors and peers. The troubling reaction about ET's situation are the adults. The school apparently was ill-prepared to handle what transpired between a teacher and this student. There were telling signs and dubious history of TC's behavior and the response egregiously lacking. I'd rather be reading a story about a decent teacher falsely being disciplined for being to close to a student.

I wonder if there was bias because ET had been home schooled.

AT is handling this prudently. He has good legal advice, I hope. His shout outs to his daughter are poignant and loving.

ET get home soon.

I saw a great story about a coach for a girl's sports team on Ellen's show a couple of weeks before ET was kidnapped. The coach was close to the girls on the team, but in a good, mentoring way.

Teachers and coaches like TC need to be spotted early and eliminated from the system.

 

[Kapua]

People go on the run all the time, and as long as they move far out of the geographical area they probably won't be caught. What might be a big story locally or statewide will barely register on the other side of the country. It would be pretty easy for this pair to just blend in somewhere.

I'm pretty sure that was his plan, and it has worked very well thus far.

Most of us are thinking that they can probably avoid getting caught for as long as they have ready cash. Once they run out of money, they will have to get more creative and then it will either be panhandling/dumpster diving, under the table employment, or stolen identities until they are caught. I remain hopeful that they will be caught.

 

[Hatfield]

Sorry, didn't mean to suggest they wouldn't do a thorough job intentionally because they're chummy, but more that it can be hard to put preconceived notions aside when investigating someone you know. At first they may have made some mistakes because they thought they knew TC. When you know someone, or think you do, it can be hard to believe they'd do certain things so you don't notice the obvious. I do think LE initially looked at this as a romance, I mean even his friend the DA used that word. I think when outsiders got involved it was a bit of a wake up call. It's a small town and people know each other and it's why these people can hide under the radar for so long. TC sings a love song to a student, alone in a closed room, and it's just Tad being Tad, he's harmless. So when TC initially took ET I think they all just assumed they'd be back in a few days when the money ran out, after all it's just Tad, grandpa, the church going christian who had a moment of indiscretion. I'm sure they've been thorough, but they've looked at the evidence with rose colored glasses.

I agree. I dont necessarily think anything was intentional. I agree that when outside media grabbed the story that it really opened some eyes there and allowed people to see the severity of the situation.

 

[Hatfield]

Interesting.

Similar experience happened at my high school. Didn't go as far as divorce/marriage, but everyone knew the student (female) was seeing the married teacher (male). And, yeah, we all blamed and judged the student, not the teacher.

I can see how that happens.

The classmates have a selfish angle too where they could lose their "favorite teacher" and they may get stuck with the next teacher who could be a hard nosed much different teacher. So in the back of their minds they selfishly are thinking how it impacts them directly too.

 

[Shelby1]

I can see how that happens.

The classmates have a selfish angle too where they could lose their "favorite teacher" and they may get stuck with the next teacher who could be a hard nosed much different teacher. So in the back of their minds they selfishly are thinking how it impacts them directly too.

Yes.

I never had him for a teacher, but he was one of the more popular ones. He was fun and maybe a bit unconventional--well obviously, but I mean in his teaching style. I know that other teachers knew about this relationship but nothing was ever done. It seemed normal. Looking back I don't know why it wasn't a big deal.....not only to me but to others.

 

[ijuswannaplay2]

Same thing happened at my school. 2 cheerleaders were seeing the boys head basketball coach and one of the assistants who were both in their early 30's. This was 25 years ago. They both ended up marrying the guys. One is still married and the other just recently got divorced after 15-20 years of marriage and 5 kids. Everyone around here knew it was going on. The guys today are both still employed within separate school districts as a superintendent and principal

 

[Hatfield]

JMO
Ive been thinking about the dynamics that occurs in a school and I can see why students would not say anything to any adults when they find out about a student/teacher relationship going on.

Its hard for a lot of us to remember the dynamics that went on when we were back in high school and mid high school. One thing I do recall is we would never want to be the one person that "told on" someone else.

The whole school may end up knowing about a situation like what occurred and it would spread like wildfire through the grapevine but I am pretty sure no student would want to be that one person that was the one to go marching to priciples office to go tell on someone. The fear of being labeled as the school "snitch" would prevent most kids from saying anything.

Just look at the news today in how some kids commit suicide because of things that get out on social media that seem to us adults as something we could work through. But as a kid in school things like that are major things to them.

 

[Irishboy]

JMO
Ive been thinking about the dynamics that occurs in a school and I can see why students would not say anything to any adults when they find out about a student/teacher relationship going on.

Its hard for a lot of us to remember the dynamics that went on when we were back in high school and mid high school. One thing I do recall is we would never want to be the one person that "told on" someone else.

The whole school may end up knowing about a situation like what occurred and it would spread like wildfire through the grapevine but I am pretty sure no student would want to be that one person that was the one to go marching to priciples office to go tell on someone. The fear of being labeled as the school "snitch" would prevent most kids from saying anything.

Just look at the news today in how some kids commit suicide because of things that get out on social media that seem to us adults as something we could work through. But as a kid in school things like that are major things to them.

Part of his control probably.

 

[Shelby1]

I noticed on Tad's IG that at least one student of his called him by his first name. Thinking back to the teacher that I was talking about earlier, he let students address him by his first name too.

 

[LaneGirl]

Every morning (Its 8am here) I log in and search google for good news on this case.

I'm so bummed. I just wish she would even reach out and say I'm ok.

sigh

 

[JerseyGirl]

I noticed on Tad's IG that at least one student of his called him by his first name. Thinking back to the teacher that I was talking about earlier, he let students address him by his first name too.

Tad allowed that in his classroom.

 

[Mom24]

Tad allowed that in his classroom.

Seems like there were many "allowances" in his classroom. A lot of blurred lines in that classroom, and apparently in that school. Still can't get over other educators in that same school blaming the child. IMO they all sound like they're emotionally stunted back in middle school. No wonder they turned a blind eye when they saw what was happening. For them to tell ET she needed to stay out TC's classroom was quite an eye opener. He was essentially told by the admin that they would protect him by that action.

 

[keeleydoll]

Interesting.

Similar experience happened at my high school. Didn't go as far as divorce/marriage, but everyone knew the student (female) was seeing the married teacher (male). And, yeah, we all blamed and judged the student, not the teacher.

My female US History teacher got married to a former student who was a couple years ahead of me. They married as soon as he was out of high school and 18. It was an open secret that they were dating while he was a student and most of the females despised her. I thought it was weird and gross even though I briefly "dated" a 25 year old man when I was 15-16. I guess the difference to me at the time was that she was a teacher.

ETA- all the boys thought she was hot and he was the coolest guy on the planet


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