Paly students expressed both sympathy and disapproval after Jordan Middle School teacher Bill Giordano was sentenced earlier this month to four years in prison.

Giordano, a physical education teacher at Jordan from 1991 to 2005, was convicted on charges of having an almost three-year sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl starting in 1991.

Reactions are mixed from those who had him as a teacher.

"Even though he’s so cool, it [the sentence] is really short," said sophomore Eliza Stevens, a former teacher aid to Giordano. "He was my favorite teacher."

Many students enjoyed being in his classes — "But not in a creepy way," sophomore Carolina Portella said.

Sophomore Jovan Benett said, "I think it [the sexual relationship] is shocking. He made a mistake in his past and it has finally caught up with him. I still think that Giordano is a great guy."

Despite court reports with Giordano’s admission to having a sexual relationship with his student, some students are still disbelieving.

"Unfair," junior Eric Hassine said about the sentence. "He was a good teacher. I don’t believe he did it."

Giordano’s punishment is thought to be rather light by some.

"The sentence didn’t seem so harsh," freshman Sarah Synnestvedt said. "It was pretty moderate."

According to S.L. Wykes’ and Sharon Noguchi’s article, "Teacher gets 4 years in sex case" in San Mateo County Times, "he [Giordano] could be out of prison in two years, although his teaching credential will be revoked."