More Than a Scandal:
Teacher & Student Relationships
October 18, 2018
Teacher and student intimate relationships, they happen everywhere. It’s not just male teachers and female students that get in sexual relationships it’s also female teachers, male students, substitute and student teachers. There have been many inappropriate relationships in local Fresno schools. Too many to feel safe. A former male band assistant from Sunnyside High School, had admitted to having a sexual relationship with a student he instructed at that school. Even though he went to jail he still is not registered as a sex offender. At another high school, Bullard High School, a male language arts teacher was arrested on September 26, 2017 for “on going sexual assaults.” He had been working in the Fresno Unified District for 4 years and he spent 3 years at Bullard HS. There was also another sexual relationship at Tenaya Middle School. The 30-year-old female teacher and a 14-year-old student crossed the line in her classroom. The sexual relationship continued in the summer where she would send photos of herself. She was charged with multiple sex crimes.
There many more sexual relationships between teachers and students all around the world that aren’t right but continue to happen. In most sexual relationships between the teacher and student, their perspective would say that the relationship was “okay” because each had consent. Even then it still is not okay, a child at any age doesn’t have a fully develop mind to know what’s right or wrong. Even then all humans’ brains don’t fully finish developing until the age of 25. This “consent” isn’t real.
I asked one teacher and three students three questions to see their opinions on sexual relationships between students and teachers they all had similar opinions except for 1 student. Rayna Hayward, a senior, thinks that sexual relationships between students and teachers are “Disgusting and pedophilia at its finest,” and that’s where I agree. She also says, “if people think it’s wrong for a middle schooler and high schooler to have any type of relationship then its most definitely wrong for a teacher and student have any relationship.” Even though she she had one of her male teacher’s Instagram and number in eighth grade, she knows now that is was wrong and not okay for her and her teacher to be connected that way. Teachers should not cross the line into friendships with students which is how many of these situations begin.
Another senior thinks the same thing. He says, “It’s not the best idea” and that teacher and student relationships can, “cause rumors and tension on the school campus,” and also that in middle school, “parents should know what students are doing at school especially their relationships with their teachers.”
The last student, Brayam Echeverria, also a senior, doesn’t really agree with the other two students. In his opinion, if, “you’re of age, [and] have consent or feelings, it’s okay.” Yet he does agree that for any age below the 8th grade it’s never okay even with so-called consent.
Finally from a teacher’s opinion, Ms.Murrietta says, “It’s never okay, and it’s just a disgrace as a teacher. A teacher’s first job is to teach, protect and build trust between students…going sexual with a student is just an overuse of the power teachers have over students.” She also says, “That having any type of relationship with a student gives them a bad name as a teacher even if you don’t get caught. Even for a senior who is coming of [adult] age to have a relationship with a teacher is not okay, they’re still a kid.” She also agrees with me when I said teachers have a fully develop brain and students don’t.
Everyone has different opinions on sexual relationships between teachers and students even though we all know deep inside its wrong someone will always find a way to say the opposite. However, the law remains firmly against such relationships.
Sources:
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/article175565176.html
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