Brittney Tilson, the latest Virginia teacher convicted of having sex with a student, has appealed her conviction.
Virginia teacher Brittney Faye Tilson, 29, of Fairlawn, was convicted on November 5 on two counts of "contributing to the delinquency of a minor related to consensual sex with a juvenile." The Dublin Middle School teacher was arrested back in August after it was discovered that she was having an illicit sexual relationship with an underage student. Reports also indicated that she would bring alcohol to their encounters, however, the prosecution ultimately decided to drop the charges of providing alcohol and tobacco to a minor. After her conviction, Tilson was sentenced to serve six months in jail. However, by immediately appealing the conviction, she will be able to remain free while the case is pending.
The sheriff's office originally received a tip back on August 23 that Tilson was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a student. It took police less than a week to investigate and compile enough evidence to make an arrest. The illicit encounters took place during the summer months, after Tilson had been terminated by the school. Since she was no longer working for the school district at the time, she was able to avoid harsher penalties that are typically reserved for teachers who violate their students' trust.
Tilson is not the only Virginia teacher convicted of having sex with one of their students this year. Earlier this fall, 31-year-old Ashley Weber was convicted on two counts of "having consensual sex with a child over the age of 15" and sentenced to 12 months in jail. Andrew Robison, a 29-year-old Potomac Falls High School science teacher, was also recently arrested this month on allegations that he maintained an inappropriate sexual relationship with one of his female students.
These cases come at a time of heightened awareness to allegations of sexual assault in American society that have ensnared school teachers, Hollywood executives, and politicians alike.
A new court hearing has not yet been scheduled to consider Tilson's appeal.