Ex Texas female teacher gets 5 years for consenual sex with 18 year old male students

[mrveggieman]

To be honest I think this is a little excessive. Yes it was a conflict of intrest and yes should should be fired and banned from teaching but I don't think that she should be branded as a sex offender for having consenual sex with other adults. And now her kids have to grow up without a mother because of a simple err in judgement. What do you think?

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ex-teacher-gets-5ex-teacher-gets-5-1501495.html

[Star_Cards]

I read this story last week and I was very confused. I definitely get how he employers would be unhappy about this and that it would cause her to lose her job and her career moving forward. However, from what I read all of the students say it was consensual and none have complained about being raped or sexually harassed. They were all over the age of consent when any contact happened. I get that it's an inappropriate relationship but am baffled as to why this is a felony.

[mrveggieman]

I read this story last week and I was very confused. I definitely get how he employers would be unhappy about this and that it would cause her to lose her job and her career moving forward. However, from what I read all of the students say it was consensual and none have complained about being raped or sexually harassed. They were all over the age of consent when any contact happened. I get that it's an inappropriate relationship but am baffled as to why this is a felony.

Yea most school districts consider it a crime for a grade school teacher to have consensual sex with his/her students regardless of their age. Thye look at it like they could influence their students to have consensual sex with them by offering them better grades or other inducements. It's kind of like the law that says correctional officers cannot have consensual sex with inmates.

[habsheaven]

It sounds like a case of the law overstepping its boundaries. Yes, the school (just like any other workplace including prisons) should have rules in place to prevent these type of situations, but that shouldn't transfer over to the real world where there are already appropriate laws in place concerning age.

[mrveggieman]

Shrew are you on this morning?

[Star_Cards]

Yea most school districts consider it a crime for a grade school teacher to have consensual sex with his/her students regardless of their age. Thye look at it like they could influence their students to have consensual sex with them by offering them better grades or other inducements. It's kind of like the law that says correctional officers cannot have consensual sex with inmates.

I definitely get that it's not allowed and why it's not allowed since the teacher has a perceived power over the students, but 5 years when there was zero issue with it being consensual and all parties being of age of consent seems odd.

I'm not sure why you said grade school. these were high schoolers.

[Star_Cards]

It sounds like a case of the law overstepping its boundaries. Yes, the school (just like any other workplace including prisons) should have rules in place to prevent these type of situations, but that shouldn't transfer over to the real world where there are already appropriate laws in place concerning age.

good point.

if a boss has an affair with a person directly under them would they be looking at a felony charge? I get that it's a little different given that she was a teacher but how different is it? If the law gives legal consent to 18 year olds the age issue is of no concern in this case. I cringe that the justice system can put people in prison for what they deem a "inappropriate relationship". Defining an inappropriate relationship seems rather tough to me. Hopefully she can get this overturned on appeal.

[mrveggieman]

I definitely get that it's not allowed and why it's not allowed since the teacher has a perceived power over the students, but 5 years when there was zero issue with it being consensual and all parties being of age of consent seems odd.

I'm not sure why you said grade school. these were high schoolers.

High school is 9-12th grade which is technically still grade school. I don't think that this teacher could have been legally prosecuted if these boys were 18 year old college freshmen instead of 18 year old HS seniors.

[Wickabee]

Shrew are you on this morning?

I had the same thought.

[shrewsbury]

yeah, i'm here and thanks for asking!!

the issue i have is at 18 the frontal lobe is not fully developed, just like at 17. also she was in an authoritative position.

i know at 18 you are considered an adult and even at 17 you are at the age of consent, but i feel this example and the one i wrote about show how people are taking advantage of others, rather than helping them. and i have a huge issue with young people being taken advantage of.

she made some bad choices she will have to always live with.