Northpinellas: Mooning discipline to stand

CLEARWATER - Barring a last-minute reprieve, the Palm Harbor University High School senior who mooned a teacher in February will remain at the school to which he was reassigned for the rest of the year.

A judge ruled Thursday that Taylor Tillung's punishment - a six-day suspension and reassignment to Clearwater High School - was not unduly severe.

In fact, Circuit Judge John A. Schaefer said, if a police officer had witnessed the incident, Taylor could have been "arrested on the spot for indecent exposure."

Schaefer also denied the claim of B. Edwin Johnson, lawyer for the Tillung family, that school officials did not follow discipline procedures outlined in the district's Code of Student Conduct in reassigning Taylor to another school.

The mooning incident occurred Feb. 21 when Taylor arrived late for a lip synch show at Palm Harbor University High. When teacher Carla Webster told him the auditorium was full, Taylor pressed her to let him in. After she declined, Taylor pulled down his pants and mooned her.

Taylor's parents, Todd and Terry Tillung, filed the lawsuit a week after a district official turned down the family's final appeal to have Taylor reinstated at Palm Harbor.

Taylor, 18, attended Thursday's hearing with his mother and grandmother. They declined to comment after the judge denied their motion.

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Comments on this article

by Greg	04/23/07 11:37 PM
He deserves the punishment he received. Bottom line is you have to face the consequences for your actions. He could've been expelled or had something more severe happen to him that could have delayed his graduation.

by Jessica	04/14/07 09:22 AM
It's a sad situation when parents can even think that such behavior does not warrant severe punishment. Taylor should have received harsher punishment since he is an adult. The teacher also deserves an apology from the student and the parents.

by Reality check	04/14/07 05:50 AM
Hey St.Pete 6:01...How about using the terms RESPECT, LIMITATIONS, CONSEQUENCES. There are too many enablers out there.

by Wendy O	04/14/07 01:55 AM
Excellent! Teachers don't get enough respect as it is...this sends a great message to everyone that there IS a line that can be crossed, and this kid crossed it. The kid is lucky his teacher didn't sue him.

by Sam	04/14/07 12:25 AM
He is not a kid. He is 18 years old, the age of majority. We have 18 years old soldiers dying in Iraq. Anyway, this young Man received a Very lenient punishment for what he did to the teacher. Teachers deserve respect.

by Nancy	04/13/07 10:11 PM
I think the judge made the correct decision. It is about time teens learned that there are consequences for bad choices. That teacher should not have to see that delinquent again. He should be thankful he is not in jail.

by bird	04/13/07 09:46 PM
He got off easy for what he did. I am glad the school and judge are sticking to the decision. He apparently did not learn respect for others from his parents so he has to learn the harder way.

by Harry	04/13/07 09:22 PM
It's inconceivable that a near adult can think this is acceptable behavior and even more difficult to understand how his parents would back him up in this action. Had my child done this I'd be totally humiliated and would certainly not publicize it.

by flrorida cracker	04/13/07 08:29 PM
st pete - you need to go back to school yourself and learn how to spell! but if you do, keep your pants up! way to go, judge -- kid needs to suffer the consequences of his reprehensible action. he SHOULD have had his "moon" booted right out of school

by Mrs. Riggs	04/13/07 08:26 PM
Taylor,are you as smart as a fifth grader?Guess not.I try to teach my kids and students about good choices and how they lead to good character.How sad for you,instead of being known for being a good baseball player,you will now be known for that act.

by Ann	04/13/07 08:17 PM
I don't know about you , but I'm getting the most incredible urge to moon somebody.....LOL

by Fran	04/13/07 06:43 PM
Thank you, Honorable Judge Schaefer! Wish you were the parent of all of the young folks walking in public with their under-moon showing. Wish that fad would go away as well for all who think it's cute, and the adults that allow it in their kids.

by Stephanie	04/13/07 06:28 PM
Comical that the parents spent thousands of $ to justify an 18 yr.old ADULT (he can vote for the pres. but God forbid he keep his pants on during a temper tantrum)showing the same self control as a toddler.

by John	04/13/07 05:00 PM
Good work by the judge! Too bad this kid had to learn a lesson from the legal system - that his parent should have taught him. At 18 you must take responibilty for your mistakes, no matter how trivial you may perceive them to be.

by gail	04/13/07 04:52 PM
Judge Schaefer is to be commended for his decision on this case. The legal system works. Nuff said.

by AverageJoe	04/13/07 04:41 PM
Thank you, Judge Schaefer! Since the parents carried this all the way into the courts it is apparent they s-t-i-l-l don't get it. How very sad!

by Gilbert	04/13/07 04:39 PM
I applaud Judge Schaefer's decision, and the admonishment was right on point. We as parents, now have to bond together with the school system in the interest of our kids to set better examples. Lets start today, this is why! Tasteless act.

by Jen	04/13/07 04:34 PM
The judge made the right decision. This young man needs to learn to take responsibility for his mistakes, and that he WILL be held accountable for them.

by teacher	04/13/07 04:25 PM
I am so glad to read that most people feel the same way I do---that this young adult should be held accountable and that society has become too tolerant of this kind of behavior. When I read the very first comment I was shocked.

by michelle	04/13/07 03:39 PM
Breathing? Probably your brat is ruining my child's classroom.

by Drewfinn	04/13/07 03:23 PM
Okay swell. If mooning somebody is the worst thing this kid ever does, he will ahead of about 85% of today's kids. Gimme a break, all this fuss about stuff lotsa people did - if they will admit it.

by Tommi	04/13/07 03:17 PM
That's all good What ever happened to the girl flashing the bus driver?

by Bette	04/13/07 02:36 PM
Sounds like a spoiled brat to me. I'm sure it's not the first time he's been disrespectful. His parents should say, "you did wrong, you pay the price", instead of, "it's okay baby, mommy & daddy will get you out of this."

by Hollie	04/13/07 01:52 PM
Thank God, I was outraged by this story because his parents were trying to get him off.Parents need to hold their own children acountable for their actions,and since obviously these parents don't, Hooray for the judge.Whatever happened to discipline?

by Tammy	04/13/07 01:29 PM
Thank goodness this judge did the right thing.

by Kim	04/13/07 01:13 PM
St. Pete, you are one of those parents who are screaming at your child's teachers weekly.

by James	04/13/07 01:06 PM
The comments posted by "St. Pete" below show exactly the manner in which this kind of behaviour has come to be considered normal or acceptable. How about "lacking tolerance" for disrespect, you are correct--we teachers do lack tolerance for that.

by Jill	04/13/07 01:05 PM
He got off easy. I know a man let his car insurance laps, got $435 court cost, six months probation/forty bucks/mo=240 35. costly mistake. Taylor was lucky. Orange county.

by Kelly	04/13/07 01:03 PM
I believe he was wrong but the punishment was too harsh. As a parent I would not have fought to have it overturned because he needs to learn that you have to live with the outcome for your actions even if you don't agree with it.

by MS	04/13/07 12:59 PM
Everyone is calling him a child or kid, at 18 years old he his an adult who did a childish act, he deserves the punishment he got and the parents should not have tried to get him off. Thank you Judge Schaefer.

by Sandra	04/13/07 12:59 PM
GOOD!

by Christine	04/13/07 12:57 PM
As a student I would have never for a second thought it ok to moon my teacher or another adult. My parents taught consequences. If I got in trouble at school, I knew I had more coming when I got home!!! It was a lesson learned way before I was 18.

by MC	04/13/07 12:22 PM
I hope that this is not only a lesson learned by this student, but for all students...use good judgement, respect authority and there won't be consequences.

by kids	04/13/07 12:20 PM
Please. Thats all he did.What did we all do that we never got cought in high school. I know i should be in jail if he got in trouble for that. Get a grip

by MATT	04/13/07 12:18 PM
SO I SEE THE ONLY COMMENTS LISTED WHERE THOSE AGAINST THE KID. GIVE HIM A BREAK HE A TEEN TRYING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME AND SOME UPTIGHT TEACHER COULD TAKE IT AT LEAST HE WAS NOT RAPEING HERE LIKE TEACHERS DO TO OUR KIDS

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Mooning discipline to stand