Mary Kay LeTourneau's Interview With Larry King

Wants Book Deal?
Tonight was the much ballyhooed interview with convicted child rapist Mary Kay LeTourneau. For anyone that might have been under a rock for the last few years, LeTourneau is the ex-teacher that molested her 12 year old student. Following her initial conviction, and in violation of a "no jail" plea bargain, she was caught yet again with her victim and sentenced to a term in prison. She bore two children from these encounters.

After serving a relatively short seven-year sentence, she has been paroled, and is now free to see Villi Fulaau, her now 21 year old former student.

We can only imagine what the situation would have been if LeTourneau had been a man and her 12 year old victim a female.

Since her release, she has made several appearances on a variety of programs, including CNNs "Anderson Cooper 360." Obviously, she has been actively seeking publicity in an effort to again come to the forefront of public consciousness. However, it seems that she limits her appearances to interviewers that are considered to "non-confrontational," i.e. Larry King.

We here at the Education Wonks believe that she intends to profit by her crimes with a book or movie deal.

Because LeTourneau cannot leave the State of Washington, the interview was conducted "live" from Seattle. King, as expected, gave her the "softball" questions for which he is noted.

As in earlier interviews, LeTourneau insinuates that the fault was her victim's as "He was very aggressive." She has said that she and Fulaau want to marry, and will soon do so. She displayed her ring-set to King, but is unwilling to divulge the possible wedding date.

When asked by King how she was supporting herself, she replied,"It's hard for Villi to have a job right now, as it is for me." She then remarked, "We have the use of a house, and my mother came and put a couple of months food in the 'fridge. LeTourneau desires employment as a legal researcher, and is interested in teaching (!) adults.

The phone calls were about what many have come to expect on "The Larry King Show." The callers asked questions that were bland and not in any way "pointed." The only notable query was when one female caller inquired whether or not other inmates had treated her, "roughly." LeTourneau answered, "There was a lot of bonding." (The EdWonk was hoping that King would ask a good follow-up question; he did not.)

Asked about her prison experiences, she said, "I have some very close friends in prison, and I ran a math lab." She said that she was treated very well. (TeachWonk says: "She needs to go back there....")

According to LeTourneau, the guards were, "Pretty bad." Next, she remarked, "There is a "Wonderful Superintendent there now."

"You have to do what you have to do when there is a forced separation," LeTourneau said when asked about her feelings while incarcerated. She said that Villi was now in California, but they would be together soon.

The Education Wonks believe that there is little to no chance that LeTourneau will appear on anything remotely similar to programs such as the "O'Reilly Factor, or Hardball With Chris Matthews" Those of us at the Education Wonks can only dream.....