Teacher's Sex Trial Defense: It Was Love

[Caitlin.ann]

Dec. 9) -- An attorney for a Georgia teacher charged with having sex with a 17-year-old student claims it's not a crime because the pair were in love.
"This may be a bad idea, it may be taboo, but it's not illegal," lawyer Scott Semrau said as the trial of former Marietta High School teacher Christopher King began, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Link (http://news.aol.com/main/nc/article/georgia-teacher-christopher-kings-sex/809152)

So what do you guys think about this? Should the law be changed?

[Lunacie]

Not much information in that link. This one has more to go on. (http://www.ajc.com/news/cobb/it-s-gross-but-232336.html)

If the judge says it wasn't illegal, I'm not in a position to argue with that. But I do think they could have waited a year (or less) until she graduated from high school to start being intimate.

[Kraheera]

I think the law is fine. If the age of consent is 16, the only thing the state has a say in is whether their teachers have an ethical obligation to not date students.

If they decide that. the state board of education will have to make that a requirement to teach in the state.

And in THAT case, it still wouldn't be a crime, but it would be grounds to ensure that the teacher doesn't teach in that state again.

Frankly, the only 'iffiness' I have about this is that she was still a student of his. Psychiatrists aren't supposed to date their clients, teachers shouldn't date their students.

[alwaysfallingup]

I tend to see this as problematic, because regardless of the age of consent, a teacher, as Kraheera mentioned, is in a position of authority over the students. I would think it would be a conflict of interest with their status as mandated reporters.

[ShadowcatX]

I agree, teachers shouldn't date their students, but beyond that, I see no problems.

[Cloaked Raven]

I agree, teachers shouldn't date their students. If they are in love like it's stated by the teacher, they should have waited until the student was the age of majority and no longer his student before engaging in any relations.

Believe it or not, I had not one but two different teachers who married former students of theirs. One was my grade 9 homeroom/science teacher and the other was my grade 11 English teacher. I know neither teacher was charged with anything but I can't remember if they started their relationships before the students graduated though.

[aranarose]

I had a high school teacher that was on his third wife shortly after I graduated. His first wife had been a student of his when he'd first started teaching right out of college. Five year age difference, not such a big deal. His second wife was a student of his, ten years after his first wife. Fifteen year age difference... not too bad. Not entirely icky anyway. His third wife? He was 56. She was 18. And yes, she was a student of his. Ick factor? Very, very high...

And apparently completely legal...

[sarabethv]

As a teacher, and I teach adults - I agree, teachers should not date their students. Its just a bad idea.

[memnoch]

Frankly, the only 'iffiness' I have about this is that she was still a student of his. Psychiatrists aren't supposed to date their clients, teachers shouldn't date their students.

This

If she was his teacher I think they should have requested a change in teachers for this student, beyond that I have no issues with it.