Officials: Guidance counselor tried to use Harvard admission to coerce student into sex
A Pennsylvania high school guidance counselor was arrested on Wednesday after officials say she tried to coerce a male student into a sexual relationship by promising him admission to Harvard.
Emily Feeney, 40, was the Director of College Counseling and a swim coach at Malvern Prep, an all-boys high school. From her position, she repeatedly sent inappropriate sexual emails and texts to a 16-year-old student, Chester County district attorney’s office said in a release [PDF].
“I adore you – always have, always will,’’ she wrote to him in an email, according to officials. In a text later, she wrote, “if you’d… just stop fighting and let it happen, you’d be a lot less uptight and much happier.’’
Investigators also said Feeney kissed the student, and sent him a topless photo among other suggestive photos in “various stages of undress.’’
The 16-year-old student, who was on the swim team and who had Feeney as a guidance counselor, repeatedly rebuffed her advances, officials said.
“I’m not interested in you end of story I’m 16 I’m not into you,’’ he wrote in one message, according to officials.
That’s when officials say Feeney told the student she could use her connections and sway to get him into Harvard. She forwarded an email purportedly from Harvard that said the student would “definitely be a likely letter candidate’’ and that “he’d be on the top of our list,’’ Philadelphia reports.
“[Y]ou … owe me big time,’’ Feeney wrote from her official school email. “And no high fives.’’
Feeney was charged with institutional sexual assault, corruption of a minor, unlawful contact with a minor, and indecent assault.
“She’s understandably upset,’’ her lawyer told WPVI. “These are serious charges and we’re taking the matter very seriously.’’
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com