40-Year-Old Teacher Resigns, Marries 16-Year-Old Student

By Anastacia Mott Austin

Sixteen-year-old Windy Hager’s parents say they tried to do everything they could to discourage a romantic relationship from developing between their daughter and her 40-year-old track coach, Brenton Wuchae.

Dennis "Bubba" Hager and his wife Betty told reporters that they contacted South Brunswick High School principal Vann Pennell about the deepening relationship, as well as the local police department. They even pleaded their case with the coach himself. But nothing seemed to work, and finally they gave their consent for their daughter to marry her coach, 24 years her senior.

The couple was married Monday in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Minors are allowed to marry in the state with parental consent.

Hager’s parents told reporters that their daughter had threatened to run away and marry Wuchae anyway, so they finally "just gave up."

Oak Island police major Greg Jordan told The Star News that law enforcement officials had been unable to find evidence of anything illegal about the relationship between the student and her coach. "Inappropriate and unlawful are two different things," said Jordan to reporters. "There was no proof of anything unlawful on his part or her part."

Superintendent of Schools Katie McGee told reporters that she was upset by the events that occurred this week. "As a lifelong educator, I am truly shocked and disheartened by what has transpired." However, she echoed the police major when she stated that the school had also been unable to find hard evidence of an inappropriate relationship. In a press release on Tuesday, McGee stated, "Had either [law enforcement or the school] been able to prove anything inappropriate was going on between Mr. Wuchae and a minor student, charges would have been filed."

According to South Brunswick school policy, all employees and contractors of Brunswick County "…are [prohibited] from dating, courting, or entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with any student who is enrolled in the Brunswick County School System, regardless of the student’s age or consent." The policy adds that any infractions of this policy would result in disciplinary action.

Wuchae, who had been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the relationship, filed his resignation last week, which was accepted by the School Board on Tuesday, one day after he had married Windy Hager.

George Slaton, a pastoral psychotherapist with the Presbyterian Counseling Center, told The Star-News that at 16 years old, Windy Hager is likely not emotionally mature enough to make a decision about marriage. In addition, the fact that Wuchae is an authority figure to the teenager complicates the issue and would make it even more difficult for her to make a rational choice, said Slaton.

The case is the fourth this year concerning claims of possible inappropriate relationships between male staff and minor students. The Brunswick County School Board is now considering providing ongoing sexual harassment training to school employees, which it currently does only at the beginning of employment. "We gotta try something," says Shirley Babson, a School Board member.

Windy Hager’s parents said they had pleaded for help from the school, and feel let down. But the person they hold most responsible is coach Brenton Wuchae himself.

Betty Hager told reporters, "He had all the power in the world. All he had to do was say, ‘I can’t do this."