10-year term for sex with students

Former music teacher and Eatontown Borough Councilman John J. Collins was sentenced to 10 years in state prison Friday on two counts of sexual assault involving two female former students, one 15 and the other ...

[Former Student]

Mr. Collins was my teacher more than 30 years ago. I absolutely adored him and I'm sure I'm not the only one. This is so disheartening. I guess all those years of girls feeling the way I did about him messed with his brain. It's so sad.

[Another former student]

My sister and I both had John Collins and we liked him too. Not only was he our teacher, but we babysat his then, young sons.

I feel very sorry, only for his family, but offer no such excues for his behavior. He KNEW what he was doing, and that it was WRONG!!! Now he knows first-hand why they call young girls "Jail Bait"!

If you make excuses for what he did, it is almost like giving permission for other teachers to claim the students were "messing with his brain"

He got what he deserves.

[Validation]

I suspect there have been a number of silent victims betrayed by him over the years who now have a sense of security, comfort and validation while he remains incarcerated.

Regardless of their ages, all of his victims now have a bond among them as survivors of his inexcusable actions; a bond which can help them heal as he faces the consequences of his discovered crimes. It is my hope and my prayer …… that in some way these victims find each other.

[Alexis]

wow

[Validation]

Are there any victims of J. Collins who have not come forward, but would feel comfortable to express their thoughts of support to those who have?

[FSG]

I represent a student who was abused by Collins. It is because of her actions that a stop has been put to this conduct. Are there any witness or other people with knowledge who would be willing to support her against Collins.