The Curious Court Decision on Teacher Student Relationships
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There are court rulings that defy common sense. The Court of Appeals in Washington state has made a ruling concerning teacher / student relationships:
“State law does not ban teachers from having sex with 18-year-old students, according to a unanimous ruling by a panel of appellate judges.
The state Court of Appeals ruling came in a case involving Matthew Hirschfelder, a former choir teacher at Hoquiam High School who was charged with first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor in 2006 after an 18-year-old member of the choir told police she had been involved in a months-long sexual relationship with him.”
link: Teacher-student sex ban doesn’t always apply, appeals court rules
The teacher / student relationship is not a fair and equitable partnership. The teacher holds power and trust by position in the educational system. This ruling removes the protection from eighteen year old students. Would you agree with this ruling if your eighteen year old son or daughter was the sexual focus of some teacher?
Catherine Forsythe
2 Comments
Brookmis
January 14th, 2009
at 4:52pm
I find it horrific that they are allowing that type of relationship. Just because someone might be “of age” does not mean that they are mature or have the propensity emotionally to handle this type of a relationship. A teacher is someone that should be looked at as a person that is going to be a coach, mentor, someone that will not judge but be a support system with NO STRINGS ATTACHED. How dare someone perverse that relationship and take advantage of a young person. That person in my eyes does not fit the definition of a teacher but that of a PREDATOR.
sfraser
January 17th, 2009
at 6:14pm
Sex between consenting adults is not illegal and therefore has no place in the court system. But the teacher in this circumstance violated the terms of employment and should have been fired on that basis.