Science teacher Rachelle Heenan busted on sex charges with teenaged student | Mail Online

Even though the alleged victim in this case is legally an adult, Texas law was strengthened in 2003 to outlaw sexual relationships between teachers and students, even if it’s among consenting adults.

Improper relationship between educators and students is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

So a teacher who is 34 has sex with a student at a vocational school who is 19 and she is arrested under a law in Texas which says teachers who have sex with students are felons who need to be put in prison for 20 years. I personally think she will win this on appeal and the law will be struck down, but none of that will happen until a few years of this case winding its way through the legal system there.

Anyone else have an opinion on this? Texas is a big GOP state, always has been. The republicans have a majority EVERYWHERE in the state. The state has some crazy right-wing laws. They of course claim to be for small government, but is this not another example of the state interfering in the rights and lives of private, consenting adults?

Originally Posted by CptSternn

Science teacher Rachelle Heenan busted on sex charges with teenaged student | Mail Online



So a teach who is 34 has sex with a student at a vocational school who is 19 and she is arrested under a law in Texas which says teachers who have sex with students are felons who need to be put in prison for 20 years. I personally think she will win this on appeal and the law will be struck down, but none of that will happen until a few years of this case winding its way through the legal system there.

Anyone else have an opinion on this? Texas is a big GOP state, always has been. The republicans have a majority EVERYWHERE in the state. The state has some crazy right-wing laws. They of course claim to be for small government, but is this not another example of the state interfering in the rights and lives of private, consenting adults?

Trying to understand Texas does is a minefield.

That law probably stemmed from a single case, which the media sensationalised.

The jails are all for-profit in the US, well the prisons, so new laws represent cash in the bank for some corporation.

I grew up next to TX and honestly, it's a piece of ************************.

Sounds like a law that the Progressives would think up of and impose.

Originally Posted by CptSternn

Science teacher Rachelle Heenan busted on sex charges with teenaged student | Mail Online



So a teach who is 34 has sex with a student at a vocational school who is 19 and she is arrested under a law in Texas which says teachers who have sex with students are felons who need to be put in prison for 20 years. I personally think she will win this on appeal and the law will be struck down, but none of that will happen until a few years of this case winding its way through the legal system there.

Anyone else have an opinion on this? Texas is a big GOP state, always has been. The republicans have a majority EVERYWHERE in the state. The state has some crazy right-wing laws. They of course claim to be for small government, but is this not another example of the state interfering in the rights and lives of private, consenting adults?

Someone who is 18 or older is capable of taking a decision with potentially adverse consequences as such a criminal prosecution is a nonsense. However the teacher involved has grossly abused her position of authority and trust and should be severely punished for that offence by sacking and blacklisting.

At most she should be sacked not jailed, IMO.

Any chance of asking a mod to fix the spelling of 'consenting' in the title?

F*cking ridiculous.

Originally Posted by Cassandra Syndrome

Sounds like a law that the Progressives would think up of and impose.

Or bible thumpers, imposing their morality on others.

There's no progressives in Texas.

Well, there's two, but they're scared to leave their house.

Originally Posted by CptSternn

Science teacher Rachelle Heenan busted on sex charges with teenaged student | Mail Online



So a teach who is 34 has sex with a student at a vocational school who is 19 and she is arrested under a law in Texas which says teachers who have sex with students are felons who need to be put in prison for 20 years. I personally think she will win this on appeal and the law will be struck down, but none of that will happen until a few years of this case winding its way through the legal system there.

Anyone else have an opinion on this? Texas is a big GOP state, always has been. The republicans have a majority EVERYWHERE in the state. The state has some crazy right-wing laws. They of course claim to be for small government, but is this not another example of the state interfering in the rights and lives of private, consenting adults?

It is not about their respective ages and has nothing whatsoever to do with the GOP. The premise is simply and only that because he/she as teacher has the power of the grade, then there really cannot be consent. The relevant statute provides:

Sec. 21.12. IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATOR AND STUDENT. (a) An employee of a public or private primary or secondary school commits an offense if the employee:

(1) engages in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is enrolled in a public or private primary or secondary school at which the employee works;

And he was 18 and not 19 at the time, if that matters. And other than insanity or diminished capacity, the only defenses appear to be:

(b-1) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that:

(1) the actor was the spouse of the enrolled person at the time of the offense; or

(2) the actor was not more than three years older than the enrolled person and, at the time of the offense, the actor and the enrolled person were in a relationship that began before the actor's employment at a public or private primary or secondary school.


Edited to add: As you can see from item (b-1)(2), the concern is the power of the grade, etc., well, primarily, since there is a defense if the alleged offender can show that sex commenced before the position of trust/authority commenced.

Originally Posted by statsman

Any chance of asking a mod to fix the spelling of 'consenting' in the title?

Thanks.