I think there is something really wrong with the age of consent laws varying from state to state. In Maryland where I live for example, I think the age of consent laws are fair as written (16 is the age of consent), but I've read of cases about teachers being arrested for sleeping with 16 & 17 year olds which I think is wrong. Here are my problems with that.
1) If a non-teacher can sleep with a 16 year old legally, then a teacher should be allowed to as well. It is a matter of work ethics, not criminal behavior. If sleeping with a student is unethical, then you risk losing your job, but leave the courts out of it as long as the age of consent laws are met. Now I think when it comes to coercion by a person of authority (doctor, teacher, etc), that should be handled as well, but not with the assumption that the adult has always coerced the student into unwanted sex. If there is any evidence that it was consenual or the student even initiated the relationship, then no crime is committed.
2) It doesn't seem right that you can become a registered sex offender whose reputation, career, and life are ruined in one state for an action that is perfectly legal in another state. I mean really you are either a sex predator or you're not. In cases like this movie shows, there is injustice here.
reply
share
DrLibertyBelle
14 years ago
The reasoning behind such laws is that a teacher, just as many other positions this law makes illegal, are an authority figure. They are in a place where they can abuse that if they chose to. Therefore it would be difficult to prove consent sometimes due to the fact that the teen involves could have felt pressured. So all someone has to do to not get one of these charges is keep it in their pants...is that really so hard? If they actually loved someone they shouldn't, well they could just wait a few years right?
reply
share
grinch031
13 years ago
It is hard to put on hold your feelings you have for someone you see every day, especially when they are mutual. I just don't think having a position of authority makes one a rapist when another adult could very well legally be with that same teenager.
I feel bad for many of the female teachers who are arrested because often its the teenage male that hits on them first. In these cases, there is no victim and I am completely against making criminals out of people when there is no victim.
* Now just to clarify, I'm only talking about relationships of 16+ year olds and adults. I think there certainly is a line no adult should cross with children and younger teenagers.
reply
share
DrLibertyBelle
13 years ago
Hey I too think if someone really loves another they should be able to do any consensual act they like under the circumstances you mentioned. I think it's sad when "non-criminals" get put in jail too. I was just pointing out the reasoning in that specific law...the idea that authority can cloud consent especially in immature or naive individuals. But, as in the case of this movie, the guy and the girl were both jerks.
reply
share