Teachers Union wants sex with students to bear less of a punishment.
 

According to this article (http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/article38640.ece), some teachers believe it's unfair to be treated, and labeled, as sex offenders for having a sexual relationship with a student over, or at, the age of consent.

I have to agree with the NASUWT. I do think it's unfair. Perhaps it's not the most professional action that one can take, but why are they being labeled as sex offenders, when it's consensual?

Your thoughts?

although it is consensual, that is the risk that can happen. The big issue is doing something like that to get grades better or to take advantage. At lower levels, it is breaking the law to have sex with someone under 18. and many times, around later years, has to be within so many years in age. Alter like in college, it could be to get grades or something so it is strongly a bigger problem for the two if they are a teach student aspect versus where they aren't even taking the same class.

I agree that it should be illegal. At least through high school for sure - there are pretty strict age limits for sex, consensual or not, for a reason. I also would be afraid of the grades thing being taken advantage of.

I have a friend that was 'dating' her teacher. I don't know all too much of what they did or what they didn't but, they kept it a huge secret for about a year. Then when someone found out they got all the riff raff of the daily. "OMG that's disgusting!" Blah Blah Blah.. they got nailed so hard with bad comments and such. So basically yeah I agree with the NASUWT too. It ain't fair to label anyone as anything.

Although, ain't it some type of teacher code thing that they are not able to have a realtionship with one of their students?

The teachers aren't really fighting for the sex to become considered okay (because I don't think it ever will be considered ethically correct), but they're pushing to get the "sex offender" label removed from the deed.

In the article, there is an example of a teacher, 22, having a consensual sexual relationship with a 16 year old boy. Outside of school, that wouldn't be unheard of. I knew a few people in high school who went out with people that old who weren't teachers.

16 to 22 is pushing it for the boundaries of the age group. personally until out o high school, it should just be a don't do. The issue is when someone, even one year younger at the 17 to 18 year old, all that has to happen is something minor goes wrong and the 18 year old would have to deal with sex with a minor without consent issue all over again. i am dating someone 22, and personally, at age 16, it shouldn't be happening. It isn't unheard of outside of school but of the one couple I know who were together, they got a lot of rep for her dating someone 8 years older than her until she was 18. It happens either way, just with their profession, it could get worse. it just happens, and even at my 3 year difference from my boyfriend, we realize the age gap, and try to ignore it as much as possible.

Right, but regardless of how you feel about the gap, should they be considered sex offenders?
As it stands, they are considered to be that, and personally I think it's unfair.
I see no harm in an age gap outside of school, and one inside doesn't phase me either.

Around where I live, if one person is 16, the other can be as old as 23 and won't be nailed for anything. But if that 23 year old is a teacher? Uh oh.

As for should they be called sex offenders, no, but would you rather have it called sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is a bit worse in my mind, so between the two, sex offender is a bit better. As for where I live, if they are 16, and dating someone even 18, it is a uh oh, it doesn't matter if they are a teacher, or have some other occupation.

Are there legal actions taken against the person who is 18, or is it just a taboo?

As for the sexual harassment part... they wouldn't be committing an act of sexual harassment. It's consensual.
It's not an either/or thing. In the event they get the label sex offender taken off them, it wouldn't just move to a sexual harassment offense or something.

there are legal actions that can be taken if one is 18. As for the consensual, if it is, then jsut keep it quiet. shouting out to the world is how things like labels get put. It should be found out in no way one way or another, and even if they aren't teachers, if they work with children, legal actions can be taken, that is partially why taking those jobs can be considered to have downsides. Also it is like having sex with a client, except that if people find out, you can lose your job. Well that is true to anything.

Aww, that really sucks for the people involved then.

Around here, it's not so uncommon for a person over 18 to be going out with someone still in high school, so the age difference deal to me really doesn't make a big difference.

ah, it has always been a really odd thing to do. Not completely unheard of, but friends and family basically say don't walk that fine line. It is a risk that is taken when working with kids, I do, and understand that I shouldn't even get close to the line, no dating people, or anyhting close to the clientèle (their parents or anything.)

It really depends where one is, but it isn't till college that the age difference has ever been blurred. One of my friend my age is dating someone two years younger and we are happy for them being a couple, but it is a hell nightmare to deal with their age difference in maturity and knowledge and legal questions. Also I would never really want to be in either of their shoes, even if I was happy, the questions of parents and people around them, and the assumptions aren't worth it.

As a 22 year old teacher... um, yeah, I still frown upon that kind of student/teacher relationship. It really does disturb me. It's not the age difference, and it's not the potential for possible favoritism as far as grades go that bothers me. It even bothers me a little at the college/university age, even though it doesn't bother me as much as at the high school age.

The thing that bothers me about it is that the teacher is in a position of authority over the student. The two of them may claim that it is consensual but... it just bothers me. The student may not even realize that the teacher is abusing their position of power and authority over them.

*shudders* I had a teacher in high school who would sexually harass female students, but it was not openly enough that we could really do anything about it. One of my friends was in his homeroom, and she just started coming in late to school every day because she'd rather have detention than to have to put up with him in the morning.

To Marxiel's first comment: I believe it happens often enough. Perhaps not many teachers act on their impulses, but I do think that there are probably many teachers who form crushes on their high schools students, and I don't believe that this is out of the question since you can find this sort of interaction in any business place. It's just that we're dealing with people who are barely over the consenting age, I think.

Is it any different from bosses asking their new employee out for coffee besides perhaps they're closer in age? If it's a bad analogy, correct me. But this is the only thing I can think of atm.

Also, that lamp is in Menewshan Imports, page 8.

Morwyn: If the teacher is using his or her authority over the student to have a sexual relationship with them, when the student knows that they don't want it but feel they need to because of the given authority, that is bordering rape, and shouldn't be acceptable in any circumstance.

I believe a genuinely consensual relationship can happen though.

Well yes, thats what I meant! :sweat:
Making a sexual advance from one person of authority to a person in training, or a person below him/her.

Thats true also. But if they were so impressionable, you'd think the law wouldn't have the age of consent at 16!

Also, I don't know if you saw my edit- but I mentioned that lamp was in Menewshan Imports, on the 8th page. :)

If they both consent to it. Then there should be no words against it. It's a personal choice, were all going to disagree at some point. Does not mean they have to be labeled. It's rude.

it isn't unheard of, but much more htan a couple of months to a year, and it just looks awkward unless they've been together for a long time. Where do you come from?

Florida. :yes: