General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Is it okay for a 18 year old to have sex with a 14 year old [View all]Ms. Toad
(34,242 posts)They are in the same peer group (and there is at least one state law which draws the line that way). That is a far less arbitrary line than an age.
I taught high school for 11 years, so I have spent a lot of time hanging out with kids in this age range in order to be able to judge their relative maturities. And my first year teaching I had at least one high school student who was older than I was - and often in the first few years I had legally adult students who were 1-3 years separated from me by age.
I would not criminalize their activity with other high school students (even up through the student who turned 22 before I did that first year).
I would criminalize a sexual relationship between me and my students who were 18-22, regardless of the small age difference (and even if they were older than I was), because I was in a position of authority over them - not to mention having spent 4 years in college which gives me a very different level of maturity than my age-mate who was still a high school student.
That doesn't mean I think those high school relationships are a good idea - I just don't think they should be criminal.