EXCLUSIVE: Media Matters confirms student at center of Fox fueled Jennings controversy was of legal age

For several days now conservatives in the media have been on a witch-hunt for Kevin Jennings, the U.S. Department of Education's director of the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Led by Fox News, the right-wing media have claimed that 21 years ago, when Jennings was a 24-year-old teacher at Concord Academy in Massachusetts, he “cover[ed] up statutory rape” by not reporting to authorities a conversation he had with a student who told him about being involved with an “older man.”

They have attacked Jennings with homophobic, anti-gay rhetoric, falsely accused him of covering up or encouraging "statutory rape" and asked for his resignation or firing.

Media Matters for America has exclusively obtained the Massachusetts drivers' license of the student confirming that at the time of the incident, he was at least sixteen years of age -- the legal age of consent in Massachusetts.

Jennings' 2006 memoir, Mama's Boy, Preachers Son, makes clear that he began teaching at Concord Academy, the student in questions school, in late August or September 1987.

book

Additionally, in his 1994 book, One Teacher in Ten: Gay and Lesbian Educators Tell Their Stories, Jennings described the student as “a sophomore boy who I came to know in 1987, my first year of teaching at Concord Academy, in Concord, Massachusetts.”

The following scanned image of the student's current drivers' license has been heavily redacted to protect his identity.

license

This should put to rest claims made by Fox News and other conservatives that Jennings covered up "statutory rape" or "molestation." To continue reporting such reckless speculation is at best willful disregard for the facts and at worst journalistic malpractice.

For more information, visit our Kevin Jennings news feed.

Previously:

EXCLUSIVE: Statement from former student at center of Fox-fueled Jennings controversy

EXCLUSIVE: Fox News seeks to confirm wildly inaccurate reporting that it's already aired on Jennings controversy; former student seeks Fox News correction

Right-wing caricatures of Jennings undercut by broad support he has received

Conservative media unleash anti-gay rhetoric in attacks on Jennings

Hannity and Fox News defended Hastert during Foley scandal

Despite evidence to contrary, Fox News machine claims Jennings “cover[ed] up statutory rape”

More witch-hunting: Fox News targets “safe schools czar” Kevin Jennings