Frieda J. Riley was a science teacher in West Virginia in the 1950s who inspired one of her students, Homer Hickam, to pursue aeronautics engineering despite living in a small mining town. She gave her all to teaching until her death from cancer. In contrast, Mary Kay Letourneau had a sexual relationship with her 13-year old student and served jail time for her crimes. She now has two children from this relationship but violated her position of trust and authority as a teacher. These two teachers had vastly different influences on their students - one inspiring academic dreams, the other engaging in illegal and unethical behavior.

1. Character Study
in
Body Ethics
FREIDA J. RILEY AND MARY KAY LETOURNEAU
TWO TEACHERS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON ONE STUDENT

2. Frieda J. Riley
Frieda Riley was a science and math teacher in
Coalwood, West Virginia, in the 1950’s (Missriley,
2014, para. 1). During the short time that she taught
she had an impact on her students. One in
particular, Homer Hickam, wrote many books, one
detailed the influence that Miss Riley was in his life,
called “Rocket Boys” (Missriley, 2014, para.1).
Freida Riley passed away from Hodgkin's disease at
the age of 31. The book that Homer Hickam wrote
went on to become the move “October Sky.” Mr.
Hickam achieved his goal and became an space
aeronautics engineer for NASA.
(Frieda J Riley, n.d.)
Frieda Riley taught until she could no longer
teach having her students carry her into the
classroom on a stretcher (Coalville, 2006,
para. 1). The Frieda J. Riley Teacher Award
is given to a teacher who is working with an
illness or adversity, who makes a positive
difference in the lives of his/her students.
(Missriley, 2014, para. 1).

3. Mary Kay Letourneau
Mary Kay Letourneau was an teacher who had
an affair with her thirteen year student, Vili
Fualauu (Mary Kay Letourneau, 2015, para. 1).
At the time that the affair began, Ms.
Letourneau was married with four children. This
marriage ended, and Ms. LeTourneau gave
birth to two more children, both whose father
was Vili Faulauu (Mary Kay Letourneau, 2015).
Ms. Letourneau spent time in jail for her crimes
(Mary Kay Letourneau, 2015). When she left
prison, she and Mr. Faulauu were married (Mary
Kay Letourneau, 2015, para. 8).
“. . .I knew if there was a relationship while I was his
teacher that it was really against, I don't know, kind of
a code of ethics and I thought, you know, this really --
this can't happen. . .there wasn't anything in my mind
that thought this is a felony and you're risking your
children. There wasn't anything.” - Letourneau
(Interview, 2006).
(Mary Kay Letourneau, 2015)

4.  Frieda J. Riley was a teacher who totally gave herself for her students. She inspired
her students to reach beyond the mining town where they lived. Her pupil, Homer
Hickam, did just this becoming an engineer. In my mind, Miss Riley was a great
teacher, doing what teachers are meant to do. She gave herself 100% to teaching,
caring more for others than herself.
 Mary Kay Latourneau is a teacher who gave herself totally to one student in a
sexual way. She was more interested in satisfying her personal needs. I consider this
a great violation of teaching or any relationship where someone is in charge of
another. Ms. Letourneau now has two children from the relationship with Vili
Faulauu. I wonder how these children will grow up in the shadow of their parents
infamy.
My feelings on the influence of these
two women on two students from their lives.

5. http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/Journal/Issues/2009/Feb/abs177.html
Teaching Chemistry Using "October Sky“
Goll, James G.; Wilkinson, Lindsay J.; Snell, Dolores M.
Source: Journal of Chemical Education, 86(2) 177-180 Feb 2009. 4 pp.
Crossing the Line: When Pedagogical Relationships Go Awry
Author(s): Johnson, Tara Star
Source: Teachers College Record, 112 (8) 2021-2066 2010. 46 pp.
http://www.tcrecord.org.cupdx.idm.oclc.org/Content.asp?ContentId=15922
Articles of interested pertaining to the influence of these two women.
Mary Kay Letourneau
Frieda J. Riley

6. References
Coalville, WV – The rocket boys – Miss Frieda Riley. (2006). Homer Hickam online.
http://www.homerhickam.com/coalwood/riley.shtml (retrieved 5/11/2015).
Frieda J Riley. (n.d.) AZ quotes. Retrieved 5/11/2015 from
http://www.azquotes.com/quote/765649
Interview with Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Faulauu. (2006). CNN Larry King live. Retrieved
5/11/2015 from http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/05/lkl.01.html
Mary Kay Letourneau. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 10:49, May 11, 2015,
from http://www.biography.com/people/mary-kay-letourneau-9542379.
Missriley. (2014). National museum of education . . . In partnership for America’s future, Inc.
http://nmoe.org/riley/missriley.htm (retrieved 5/11/2015).