I don’t care if the student is 18 or 80, a teacher has no place engaging in sexual activity with a student. It is inappropriate and immoral, and should at the very least cost the teacher their job. A teacher can not properly conduct a classroom when they are intimate with one of their students.
I am very disappointed to read that an Arkansas Supreme Court decided it is okay for teachers and students to have sex, as long as the student is 18.
The ruling is in response to an appeal by David Paschal, an Elkins High School teacher found guilty of having consensual sex with an 18-year-old student.
State attorneys argued the law protects high school girls and boys from sexual advances by teachers. But the high court says regardless of how it feels about Paschal’s conduct, they can not abandon their duty to uphold the law.
Therefore, Paschal will have his convictions reversed and dismissed.
At a local high school baseball game on Saturday, parents reacted to the news.
“These teachers should know better because there is a difference when you are being a teacher and a friend; and somebody that is having sex with your students,” said Denise Colson.
Amy Dardenne added, “If the child wants to have sex when they are 18 with their teacher, that is fine. They are adults at 18, so they might as well do what they want to do.”
It’s unclear whether anyone in the legislature will attempt to rework the law. A spokesperson for Governor Mike Beebe says it is way to early to talk about any kind of response from the State Capitol.
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel says his office respects the court’s decision, although they disagree with it and are evaluating all options.
It is not”fine” for an 18 year-old to bed their teacher. It is tantamount to a breach of trust on the part of the teacher. That teacher is bestowed with the responsibility of grading impartially, treating each student fairly, being a good role model and responsible citizen.
None of which can be said of a teacher who has sex with a student.
In my opinion, a high school teacher who is found to have been engaged in a sexual relationship with their student should be imprisoned for their actions.
Click on the link to read How Can a Child Sex Lobby Exist in the First Place?
Click on the link to read Should Classrooms Be Fitted With Surveillance Cameras?
Click on the link to read Teacher Orders 20 Classmates to Beat Up Bully
Tags: Amy Dardenne, David Paschal, Dustin McDaniel, Education, Elkins High School, Ethics in the Classroom, Governor Mike Beebe, Parenting, professional conduct, Sex, Teacher
Topical Teaching 
April 3, 2012 at 1:19 am |
Reblogged this on makethea and commented:
This really blurs the professional relationship between teachers and students. How are students expected to learn if, instead, they are being sexually desired?
April 10, 2012 at 12:22 am |
I agree completely. I once wanted to befriend a university teacher (of the same sex, and not in a sexual way) when I was about 32 and in graduate school. I thought it was inappropriate for me to even call her and ask if she’d like to go out for lunch or coffee until such time as I was out of her class!
April 10, 2012 at 12:30 am |
You clearly have great integrity Lynne.
July 19, 2012 at 9:06 am |
What everyone one is missing is that the teacher has control over the student just like a correctional officer over an inmate. If the student says no then they will get bad grades and fail to pass. This is Statutory rape, even between “consenting” adults. Corrections officers are prosecuted for the exact same act!
July 19, 2012 at 9:35 am |
That’s a very interesting point Ernie. I honestly hadn’t considered it.
December 10, 2012 at 6:28 am |
What this article conveniently fails to mention is that this girl was not his student. She just happened to attend the school. She also did not say anything until she was graduating and he broke off the relationship.