The Time Of Their Lives.

[Just-Jude]

Should this teacher really be in jail? Is she a danger to society? If she had been high on drugs and stabbed her teenage lover, she would have walked free.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/woman-jailed-sex-student-pupil-teacher-relationship-a7986976.html

[andy-hughes]

Sqad - // but is it wrong? //

Child ... education ... adult ...position of trust ... I am sure you can join up the dots.

Yes it is wrong, legally and morally wrong.

[hc4361]

There is nothing wrong in a 15 year old being attracted to and wanting sex with his teacher.
There is everything wrong with a 23 year old wanting sex with a 15 year old.

[Sqad]

"There is nothing wrong in a 15 year old being attracted to and wanting sex with his teacher.
There is everything wrong with a 23 year old wanting sex with a 15 year old."

Legally.......CORRECT
Biologically........sorry......NONSENSE.

[andy-hughes]

hc4361 - Exactly.

We employ university graduates as teachers because it is a position of trust and responsibility.

I doubt there is a teacher of adolescents of either gender who has not at some time or another been the subject of a crush, or some manipulation, as young people explore the boundaries of their sexuality - what we rely on in the maturity and sense on the part of the teachers to deal with those situations appropriately.

This teacher singularly failed to live up to her responsibilities, and is being punished accordingly.

[andy-hughes]

Sqad - // Biologically........sorry......NONSENSE. //

As I pointed out in my previous post, children and young people are prone to make bad decisions and act inappropriately.

We have to be able to rely on teachers to steer them in the right direction, not to collude in wrong decision-making for their own gratifications.

[Just-Jude]

jim 360 Why is it bizarre? "Based on the circumstances" is being used more and more by judges as a get out clause to avoid proper sentences and is always applied to the rich.

[Sqad]

A-H

"As I pointed out in my previous post, children and young people are prone to make bad decisions and act inappropriately. "

I think that i pointed that out in one of my earlier posts but included adults as well.......we ALL make poor decisions at some time......I have made many.
So we agree, again on that.

"We have to be able to rely on teachers to steer them in the right direction, not to collude in wrong decision-making for their own gratifications"

Yes we do......but again we are all, including teachers, doctors, law abiding citizens, subject to what i have already described as ..."human failings."

[Just-Jude]

Two people falling in love is now called gratification.

[gness]

Before I go out I'll add.....I would hate to see the age of consent dropped to fourteen......

There are far too many young girls being abused these days......at least having the age at sixteen abusers and groomers of fourteen and fifteen year olds can be held to account...

We don't need to be helping these men....x

[pixie374]

I think it should be dropped to 14. Abuse is abuse at any age, but controlling the sex lives of 15 year olds also seems wrong.

[Just-Jude]

Sex, the British disease where you must repress your feelings, or you will go to jail.

Certain circumstances may apply if you're a pupil or teacher at a private fee paying school and your parents are rich.

[gness]

Of course it is at any age, pixie but at least now gangs abusing 14 year olds can be stopped. I can just see their pleasure if sex with a 14 year old was legal. That is for me a horrific thought x

[pixie374]

Abuse will never be legal. But stopping a 14 year old deciding what she is allowed to do with her own body, because of what men might do is a step backwards in blaming the wrong people. That's the same principle as using Burkhas. It's about choice, not age. That's the difference to me between right and wrong.

[gness]

No, pixie. Fourteen is too young to be having sex. There has been no growingup time to learn how to have relationships. To grow and enjoy boyfriends....dates and having fun. And by keeping it at sixteen we protect many young and immature children. X

[jackthehat]

I have been away fom AB, but am not surprised to find that my earlier point has been reinforced.......and then some!

[kvalidir]

I think 14 is the right age of consent. It's 14 in Germany, and there are not routinely any major issues with that. The problem is that people are babied and not taught to value themselves, I think we need to entirely re-approach topics of self worth and self determination with kids generally, but we have issues in the UK that self determination and independence seem to be greatly looked down upon by teachers, they seem more worried about everyone wearing the same uniform and sending people home because they don't like their hair cut, than on forming young people with self respect that would therefore have a natural defence against gangs of men preying upon them. Girls are in charge of their own bodies, that's what needs stressing, not men have some sort of control over that which implying 14 is too young and therefore they can be taken advantage of only encourages.

[douglas9401]

We could learn a great deal from Germany.
Their train timekeeping is the stuff of legend.

[kvalidir]

It's true Douglas, when you're 14, you can catch the train to go and see your lover being assured that you won't be late ;-)

[fiction-factory]

The 14/15/16 age issue is not the point here though kvalidir. Even if she had reached the age of consent it is still inappropriate and an offence for a teacher to have sex with his/her pupil.
You are clearly a welleducated (albeit at home) and mature person but I do not think the average 14 year old is mature enough

[kvalidir]

No but we had gone slightly off topic FF, which was the point of the people who have raised the age of consent angle. I'm aware of the law in this country regarding people in a position of trust as well, but we've veered of track form that slightly, and I agree the average 14 year old is babied to bits hence my suggestion that we re-evaluate the manner in which high school children are taught in this country to rectify that. It would solve an awful lot of problems if people were instilled with a feeling of self worth and confidence.