Teacher-Student Sex Ban Challenged

(AP)  The Connecticut state Supreme Court has heard arguments from the lawyer for a former teacher that the state law that bans teachers from having sex with students is unconstitutional.

Attorney Richard Emanuel represents Van McKenzie Adams who was convicted of having sex with two students in New Haven.

Adams, who taught Latin at Hill Regional Career High School, was 40 at the time. The students in the second-degree sexual assault case were 16 and 17.

Emanuel told the justices Thursday that the state law under which Adams was convicted is unconstitutional and "overly broad."

"I am not here to assert that teachers have a fundamental constitutional right to engage in sexual intercourse with their students," Emanuel said. "They should not exploit their position to coerce students into relationships involving sexual intercourse."

Emanuel pointed out that the court had previously ruled that people age 16 or older are "deemed to be adults for sexual purposes." He said such conduct is "protected by the right of privacy."

Assistant States Attorney Bruce Lockwood argued on behalf of the state that a sexual relationship between a teacher and a student "cannot be consensual" because of the power and authority teachers have over students.

"The state has a legitimate interest in providing a safe school environment for elementary and high school students," Lockwood said. He added that prohibiting teachers from having sex with their students is part of this approach.

[mirth5]

Throughout most of human history abd throughout most of the peoples of the world today a person becomes an adult at age 13.

No person should be coerced in to having non-consensual ***, however, when sexual activity is agreed upon by consenting adults (13+) It should not be illegal.

The attempt by society, through legislation, to supress sexual activity is both ineffectual, harmfull, ignorant and the product of religious dogma.

If all the stories about *** were eliminated news papers could be printed on a kleenex. TV shows would suffer for plots. Advertising would not be able to excite the buyers.

Let all those who have ever has a lustfull feeling for a 13 year old adult vote to repeal all laws that make *** between consenting adults illegal

[woundedego]

ISTM that this should be a matter of school policy rather than a legal matter. Statutory rape laws, whether for under 18 or under 16, criminalize what is really a societal taboo based on a somewhat arbitrary point in biological development.

There is an excellent book that goes deep into the matter named "Harmful to Minors."

[melty76]

I don't know about Conneticut, but here in Illinois the law doesn't just apply to teachers. I knew a woman, 19, who became pregnant by and 18 year old senior and almost went to prison because she had a job washing dishes in the high school cafeteria. School employees were not allowed to have *** with students, period. I think the law does need some revision if it goes that far. But I also think that authority counts for something when it comes to consent. It's sexual harrassment, just like when it's the boss and the employee. So shouldn't those laws be enough in these cases as well?

And to laurieleemoo, one does not have to condone behavior to be able to realize that it shouldn't be criminal. I can't condone warrantless accusations of pedophilia, but I know your posts were legal.

[glnnglnn-2009]

I don't care if the student is 17 and the teacher is just 20. No *** between teacher and student. Simple. No teacher/student high school ***. Get it? Ok? What is happening here?

[agnim]

Regardless of age difference between teacher and student, there should be no mating allowed.

A school environment is a special and very sensitive environment for children.
We can't have teachers giving practical 'lessons' in mating.

This kind of behavior would be too disruptive to the learning environment of children who are still too young to properly handle and manage mating.

It's bad enough already when the children are trying out their mating skills among themselves.
It's a lot worse when teachers sanction the age-inappropriate behavior by indulging themselves with the children in this sensitive learning environment.

It's easy to understand why highly intelligent lawyers are disrespected: Too often lawyers don't demonstrate wisdom; they wickedly defend the indefensible and reprehensible.

[othelloboy]

Just food for thought--Why can a 16 year old be considered an "adult" for crimes he/she might committ but is not able to make an adult decision concerning sexual intercourse. Absolutely a teacher should NOT be involved sexually with a student. But what about others being involved w/students. Are teachers the only ones who are pedophiles if they have *** with person under 18? What about 19 year olds having *** w/17 year old student? The world keeps telling us students are sexually active. Are two students under 18 both pedophiles because they're having sexual intercourse? Or does "consensual" make it OK? I think we are naive in our thinking. I'm just tired of the hypocrisy that stems from our "situational ethics" look at things. We've lost our moral compass. If it's wrong for one, it should be wrong for all. And it is wrong for one!!!

[siddin-2009]

I swear people, you just don't understand that a student and a teacher can actually be very close in age. A couple of my teachers in high school were no more than 6 years older than me. Don't try to tell me that somebody that close to your age is too old/young for you. When somebody can think for themselves, that is when you should stop thinking about them as children, but as another person.
Imho, people that are so ingrained to what they believe should be cut off from making decisions untill they are able to actually think about the possibilities of what has happened, how it happened, etc.
Now IF you really want to "SHOOT 'EM" I'd suggest starting with yourself as we don't need you around.

[antymom]

SICK! SICK! SICK! JUST ANOTHER PERVERT, TRYING TO GET AWAY. I WANT MY GRANDCHILDREN - ALL CHILDREN IN GENERAL TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL KNOWING THAT THEY ARE SAFE FROM PREDATORS. STUPIT DESPERATE ATTORNEY - SHOOT 'EM!

[siddin-2009]

I still wonder where in hell the idea at age 18 you're now an adult came from. When this country was founded every male and female was married by age 14, had their own life to live, etc, etc. Has anybody ever thought that maybe the teacher and student might have actually wanted a relationship both ways? come on now people, who do you think you are to judge somebody else?

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.
-Albert Einstein

[peaceforusa]

This has got to be the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard. Just one more pedophile that needs to go to prison.