Exclusive: Controversial Female Teachers’ Group Dedicated to “Woman-Boy Love” Pledges Legal Support to Meredith Powell

Out of the Shadows: NAWBA Members Defend Their Affairs With Young Male Students, Promote Social Acceptance

NABWA, the North American Boy-Woman Association, a controversial organization of female school teachers, is a support group, a social club, and a legal defense organization. It was founded in 1995 by Margaret McGuff, a retired teacher with a PHD in psychology and human sexuality. Margaret began the club in her apartment in Phoenix, Arizona, when she was a high school administrator, to support women teachers who were struggling with society’s disapproval of their love of boy students. The group has never revealed the identity of its members, has never advocated any criminal activity, and has carefully guarded its activities. NABWA has remained in the shadows. Until now. Speaking out for the first time, Part-time teacher and full-time legal advocate Mercy McPhearson reached out to accused teacher Meredith Powell, in March of 2014, not long after her arrest.

“We feel that Meredith shouldn’t have waived her Miranda rights without first having an opportunity to consider her legal options, and benefit from our support. Meredith needs to know that she is not alone.”

— Mercy McPhearson, volunteer legal advisor for NABWA members

Mercy has been observing other cases like Powell’s, and has contacted parents, teachers, school officials, and law enforcement officials, confidentially, and has sometimes been successful in quietly brokering deals that keep the women she represents out of the newspapers, and eliminate prison time. “Because our members are women, I can usually negotiate settlements, or informal agreements, that involve zero time in prison. As women, we’re simply not perceived as predators. It’s a natural benefit of being female”, said McPhearson. “We’re seen as nurturing, helpful, and kind, not immoral, or sexually deviant. We cultivate this image. We know how to use our strengths. Do we exploit this advantage? Absolutely.” In our phone interview, Mercy explained the asymmetrical presumption of guilt or innocence, based on the gender of the teacher, and student.

“I’ve known female teachers who are carrying on long-term affairs with young male students, or happily servicing the whole football team. Even when the evidence is abundantly clear, school officials look the other way. “

— Brenda, Iowa high school teacher, NABWA member

“Though we have many men friends, we discourage adult males from associating with our organization”, Mercy explained.  “Men don’t have anywhere near the latitude we do. Male teachers are almost always judged guilty before any facts or evidence emerge, and the slightest accusation against them is believed to be true. For women, not so much. In fact, it’s usually the opposite. School officials generally believe anything we say.” Though she added, “That doesn’t mean we not cautious. Or that we’re not sympathetic. We understand what they’re going through”.

Other members agree. “I’ve seen men lose their jobs over nothing. A rumor. Whispers in the hallway. Lies told by students, to avoid explaining absences, or unusual behavior”, said Brenda, a high school history teacher in Iowa. “At the same time, I’ve known female teachers who are carrying on long-term affairs with young male students, or happily servicing the whole football team. Even when the evidence is abundantly clear, school officials look the other way. ” This isn’t always true. The Meredith Powell scandal, for example. “The climate has changed, we have to be less careless, more vigilant. A few high profile cases have raised the visibility of our special hobby. The increased public awareness isn’t good for our members. It used to be such a delicious secret. In the old days, hardly anyone ever suspected anything. Now we all have to be more careful”, said a member who asked not to be identified.

“It’s more than a hobby. It’s a way of life. We realize that many consider the love between female teacher and young male student to be wrong, and think of us as criminals, or mentally unstable. But it’s not true. Some of us are very healthy, and have a lot to offer. We’re very respectful of boundaries.”

— Julie, guidance counselor, soccer coach, NABWA member

How do women find NABWA, and what makes them decide to become members? Many women teachers felt isolated, confused, or ashamed. They felt they had no one to talk to. Others needed legal support, because they’d run afoul of the laws of their local communities. Read the rest of this entry »