Heather Hare, a teacher at Bryant High School in Arkansas, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for having sex with a 17-year-old student up to 30 times. She also received an additional 20-year sentence to be served concurrently in a Saline County Circuit Court case. Hare, a married mother, had met the victim, identified as “J.R.”, during his senior year and had provided him with her phone number, Instagram, and Snapchat.
Hare first gained national attention in 2020 when she was surprised by her students on “Good Morning America” after her class was canceled due to the pandemic. The victim, “J.R.”, told police that Hare had initiated a sexual relationship with him during his senior year, engaging in sexual activities with him in various locations, including her home, her car, the classroom, and the school’s parking lots. They also engaged in sexual activity during a school trip to Washington DC that Hare was chaperoning.
Hare pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. She also pleaded guilty in Saline County Circuit court to two charges of sexual assault in the first degree, both related to her relationship with a student at Bryant High School. As a result, Hare was sentenced to serve 13 years in prison for the federal charges and an additional 20 years for the state charges, to be served concurrently.
During Hare’s sentencing hearing, Assistant US Attorney John Ray White stated that Hare had initiated a sexual relationship with the victim and had told him that she had dreams of having sex with him. The victim, identified as “J.R.”, had met Hare on the first day of his senior year at Bryant High School and had engaged in sexual activities with her between 20 and 30 times throughout the school year.
United States Attorney Jonathan Ross highlighted the consequences of teachers who abuse their position of trust and take advantage of the vulnerability of their students. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Hare to a lifetime of supervised release in addition to her prison term. The case serves as a reminder of the serious repercussions that educators face when engaging in inappropriate relationships with their students.
