NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Statutory Rape - Or A Victim In Her Own Classroom?

Statutory Rape - Or A Victim In Her Own Classroom?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - In an exclusive interview, former Portland High School math teacher Sandy Binkley does not deny the encounter with a student, but said she was the victim of rape by the student.

Binkley is charged with statutory rape by an authority figure. Police said she had sex with a student in a classroom during school hours.

"There was one incident with one student - who was a month away from being 18. He was bigger than me and he forced himself on me," said Binkley. "He came into the room and forced himself upon me."

Attorney David Ridings said his client did not seduce the student for sex.

"There's been so many lies and mischaracterizations," Binkley's attorney David Ridings. "Nothing could be farther from the truth."

Ridings and prosecutors do agree something happened in the girls' volleyball office. During a preliminary court hearing the student, who was a teacher's aid, testified.

"She laid down on the desk and I began to have intercourse with her . . . She said her tubes were tied which is why I didn't wear a condom. . . She said this isn't what you expected when you signed up for a teacher's aid," from the student's testimony in the preliminary hearing transcript.

The testimony was enough for the grand jury to indict Binkley, but her attorneys said there are inconsistencies.

Under cross examination the student admitted he was physical with Binkley.

"Did you pick her up and force her on the desk and have sex with her?" said the attorney.

"Not at all," said the student.

"You did not pick her up?" said the attorney.

"I picked her up, but she wanted it," said the student.

Binkley said there had been an unfair rush to judgment against her because of her profession

"It's been terrible. First few months spent in bed. I didn't interact with my husband or kids - my family. Nothing," said Binkley.

She said there had been some unfair comparisons to other high profile cases.

"Cause it's a teacher. All teachers are guilty. With all the things recently - it's a teacher story and teachers have to be guilty," said Binkley. "I don't see myself that way."

Pam Rogers, a former beauty queen turned teacher in Warren County, is serving eight years in prison.

She was convicted in 2006 of having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student.

"I don't know how I got lumped into the same category as her," said Binkley.

Binkley said unlike Rogers she did not do anything wrong.

"It was just one incident. It was not a wanted incident. He came into the room and forced himself upon me," said Binkley.

Two other students came forward claiming sexual relationships with Binkley.

"I know she's innocent. I know she didn't do anything wrong.  I know she's the victim in this case," said husband Doug Binkley.

In an exclusive interview Thursday Binkley responds about the other relationships. She also talked about a certain style of teaching; she said the administration encouraged that could lead students to cross the line with their teachers.  

Her attorneys hope the community will hear Binkley's story. They believe there are people out there who will say the students are lying and may come forward.

Police said there was no evidence of that.