Teacher arrested for relations with adult student

[nightmare69]

http://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/lo ... /642257795

My opinion may ruffle some feathers but here it is. You have a 27yr old female teacher who had sexual relations with a 18yr male student. She was charged with a second degree felony carrying a penalty of 2-20yrs in prison.

Ethically this is wrong and she should be fired and possibly lose her teaching license but going to prison for having a relationship with an adult is beyond excessive IMO. You have to look at the totality of the circumstances in this case and once you remove the bureaucracy you're left with 2 adults having a consensual relationship. Is that really worth putting her in prison?

[The Annoyed Man]

I agree. I mean I have severe moral issues with it, but those are based on my personally held conservative social values. And firing seems appropriate, both for violations of trust and for violating a term of employment, but I wouldn't call a 27 year old female having consensual relations with an 18 year old male exactly statuatory rape. The one exception to my mind would be if the student were a special needs case, not being able to make an informed decision about consent. But that doesn't seem to be the case here. If the guy is old enough to die for his country, he's old enough to have sexual relations with a woman, and generations of women have provided such services commercially to generations of young men the same age at military installations.

[Jusme]

http://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/lo ... /642257795

My opinion may ruffle some feathers but here it is. You have a 27yr old female teacher who had sexual relations with a 18yr male student. She was charged with a second degree felony carrying a penalty of 2-20yrs in prison.

Ethically this is wrong and she should be fired and possibly lose her teaching license but going to prison for having a relationship with an adult is beyond excessive IMO. You have to look at the totality of the circumstances in this case and once you remove the bureaucracy you're left with 2 adults having a consensual relationship. Is that really worth putting her in prison?

They may be consenting adults, and had the teacher been employed at a different school than the student, then it would be a non issue, but teachers, have a position of authority over their students, and as such, are held to a higher standard regarding relationships. In my opinion, it would be the same type of thing between a corrections guard and an inmate.

I seriously doubt that she will face a long prison sentence, more than likely will be given probation, unless it is proven that the relationship started before the student became a legal adult. JMHO

[nightmare69]

http://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/lo ... /642257795

My opinion may ruffle some feathers but here it is. You have a 27yr old female teacher who had sexual relations with a 18yr male student. She was charged with a second degree felony carrying a penalty of 2-20yrs in prison.

Ethically this is wrong and she should be fired and possibly lose her teaching license but going to prison for having a relationship with an adult is beyond excessive IMO. You have to look at the totality of the circumstances in this case and once you remove the bureaucracy you're left with 2 adults having a consensual relationship. Is that really worth putting her in prison?

They may be consenting adults, and had the teacher been employed at a different school than the student, then it would be a non issue, but teachers, have a position of authority over their students, and as such, are held to a higher standard regarding relationships. In my opinion, it would be the same type of thing between a corrections guard and an inmate.

I seriously doubt that she will face a long prison sentence, more than likely will be given probation, unless it is proven that the relationship started before the student became a legal adult. JMHO

In college a professor sleeping with students is frowned upon but goes on regularly. They may lose their jobs(I've had to escort a few off campus)but it isn't against the law. They are at or around he same age as this male student too.

[Jusme]

http://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/lo ... /642257795

My opinion may ruffle some feathers but here it is. You have a 27yr old female teacher who had sexual relations with a 18yr male student. She was charged with a second degree felony carrying a penalty of 2-20yrs in prison.

Ethically this is wrong and she should be fired and possibly lose her teaching license but going to prison for having a relationship with an adult is beyond excessive IMO. You have to look at the totality of the circumstances in this case and once you remove the bureaucracy you're left with 2 adults having a consensual relationship. Is that really worth putting her in prison?

They may be consenting adults, and had the teacher been employed at a different school than the student, then it would be a non issue, but teachers, have a position of authority over their students, and as such, are held to a higher standard regarding relationships. In my opinion, it would be the same type of thing between a corrections guard and an inmate.

I seriously doubt that she will face a long prison sentence, more than likely will be given probation, unless it is proven that the relationship started before the student became a legal adult. JMHO

In college a professor sleeping with students is frowned upon but goes on regularly. They may lose their jobs(I've had to escort a few off campus)but it isn't against the law. They are at or around he same age as this male student too.

Yes but college professors are not sanctioned by the public school districts. I agree, if two adults consent to sex with each other it should be their business, unfortunately when she hired on as a school teacher, she had to agree to the rules of the state, and that includes being charged with a crime if it happens. If he had been a former student and this did not occur due to her employment there, it would be different. Since he is/was a student at the time, no matter his age, it is against the law. I realize the punishment sounds harsh, but the legislation, and penalty was put in to protect school children, and did not allow for the fact that a high school senior is legally an adult. However, a judge, or jury, my take that into consideration, along with the fact that she had no prior violations, (if that is true) and there is no evidence that the affair started before he was of legal age, I doubt that she will spend much, if any time in jail. JMHO

[Soccerdad1995]

Put me in the camp of bad thing to do. Should lose your job for the policy violation. But should not be a crime. My boss has power over me. And if she sleeps with me, that would be a violation of company policy. But she wouldn't be guilty of a crime. I really don't see how a teacher with grading discretion has more power over her students than a boss with pay (and career advancement) discretion.

This is assuming no coercion or threats were involved, and everyone is of sound mind, etc.

[Oldgringo]

Put me in the camp of bad thing to do. Should lose your job for the policy violation. But should not be a crime. My boss has power over me. And if she sleeps with me, that would be a violation of company policy. But she wouldn't be guilty of a crime. I really don't see how a teacher with grading discretion has more power over her students than a boss with pay (and career advancement) discretion.

This is assuming no coercion or threats were involved, and everyone is of sound mind, etc.

In this instance, I agree. Gentlemen don't tell so, who did?

[clarionite]

This is assuming no coercion or threats were involved, and everyone is of sound mind, etc.

This is where the charges stem from. It's assumed that in a relationship such as student/teacher that there is implied coercion. That the student isn't in a position to give consent due to the nature of the relationship. I do agree that charges may be excessive in this situation. But it's a situation that the teacher should have been well aware of before the act. I don't see it much differently than a LEO pulling over an attractive woman, and a sexual encounter resulting from the stop. Both situations are a result of poor judgement. I believe both should result in termination, and both open themselves up to lawsuits. Criminal charges? I'm not sure where I stand on that. But the charges are brought because of the notion that one party was forced and wasn't able to stand up for themselves, so the state will.

[puma guy]

What specific PC did she violate? Also, I wonder if it started prior to his 18th BD. There's never enough information in the reporting that passes for journalism these days.

[cmgee67]

The article said there will be counseling offered to the victim..... really??? The ADULT had sex with an older ADULT. Even tho this violated the law and she should lose her job because she knew it was wrong doesn't mean she should be convicted with a possible jail sentence. If it was her and a 13 year old that's different but technicllay it was two adults and it sounds to me like the 18 yo got a little to proud and loose lips sink ships..

[Pariah3j]

What specific PC did she violate? Also, I wonder if it started prior to his 18th BD. There's never enough information in the reporting that passes for journalism these days.

PC 21.12 - http://www.sharpcriminalattorney.com/pr ... -students/

[apostate]

In college a professor sleeping with students is frowned upon but goes on regularly. They may lose their jobs(I've had to escort a few off campus)but it isn't against the law.

A college professor is not in loco parentis.

[Abraham]

This is a tempest in a teapot.

18 = Technical Adult

If the 18 year old wanted to sleep with a woman twice the teacher's age, it would be legal.

I'm not saying it's morally right or wrong or any other thing else, but it ain't against the law...and the 18 year old probably thought he'd died and gone to heaven...

[carlson1]

I agree. I mean I have severe moral issues with it, but those are based on my personally held conservative social values. And firing seems appropriate, both for violations of trust and for violating a term of employment, but I wouldn't call a 27 year old female having consensual relations with an 18 year old male exactly statuatory rape. The one exception to my mind would be if the student were a special needs case, not being able to make an informed decision about consent. But that doesn't seem to be the case here. If the guy is old enough to die for his country, he's old enough to have sexual relations with a woman, and generations of women have provided such services commercially to generations of young men the same age at military installations.

Both are adults. Morally wrong, but it dead should not be criminal unless as TAM said the student was a special needs case.