megan stammers

[Pix]

It's not against the law to love it's against the law for an adult--especially one in a position of authority and thus implied threat if not pleased (even if not intended) and also trusted by parents--to form a relationship with a minor.

For the sake of argument if I were to fall in love with someone 15 I'd wait until she was 18 at the very least before acting on it.

Furthermore, I would never press my feelings upon someone that I'm an authority figure to.

And if I thought it was ok for a 30-year-old to woo a 15-year-old and even get married then I wouldn't press for decriminalization of this, I'd instead press for lowering the age of majority. If kids in general can be trusted to make adult decisions like this then by all means let's make them adults, including in giving them the right to vote (and in all honesty I have known kids who are more informed and would vote more responsibly than plenty of adults). But if they're too young to be trusted with a vote in their own future (or even to drink, smoke, etc) then why should we trust them to make informed decisions in matters of the heart that may very well affect the rest of their lives, let alone to not be played by an adult who has power over them?

[jamiebfd]

I wouldn't go as far as to call it abduction as she went on her own free will. However, being a teacher of school children in the U.K you have a responsibility to protect your pupils. What he has done is illegal for sure. Why else would it be international news. In England the age of concent is 16! Why the hell didn't they just wait one year. Its certain that he will receive a minimum sentence of 5 years and have his right to teach taken away.
So rather than wait 12 month they will now have to wait 5 times that.
Im sure time will tell if this was real love.

[princealbertofb]

I know what you're saying Pix, and I daresay you are right, in your jurisdiction... I know there was a famous case in France back in the 60s which led to the teacher (a woman in this case) committing suicide after falling in love with her student... I don't know what the law says about teachers and pupils who are underage... Age of consent in France, I think,is 15 for gay and straight relationships... Don't plan on falling in love with one of my students... but I think laws may be different according to where you live, which doesn't necessarily make it wrong everywhere around the world. What's the law in Britain? I don't know. I guess the press will tell us before long.

[princealbertofb]

Jamie, it was elopement, at its best, but for the parents to sue it would probably be abduction because she was not of age and still in their custody and care.... But I don't know the legal jargon.... so, we'll see what is finally engaged.

here's a link that might be useful to read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/educa...653326.stm

[Rainbowmum]

IMHO he abused his position and took advantage of a child.

[princealbertofb]

I don't think that how Meghan sees it.

[Rainbowmum]

I agree,I know she doesn't ,she see's as the love of her life , and father of her unborn child.

It makes no difference though , he knew better and no matter which way she see's him he still abused his position as an educator.

[Marc]

Marc, I believe you're being really harsh... What if they WERE in love, as you said... The point is he's her teacher, ok, we get it... Where in the law does it say that a teacher can't fall in love with one of their pupils? Does the law actually say that?

Who are we to judge how genuine that relationship is? I've heard of many many stories of teachers falling in love with (and vice versa) the people (pupils) they teach, and not all stories end up like that. Some end in marriage, and families.

The real problem here is the abduction. That was way out of line, even if the young couple didn't see any way out of a complicated situation, if only for all the trust and worry issues that their elopement caused the parents.

On the radio, the parents didn't sound angry... more anxious to see/hear that their daughter was ok. Will they sue the teacher/lover? Would they sue someone in a different profession, although the relationship seemed to be one of shared consent? These are all questions the judge and jury will have to consider. Should the teacher be considered as a pedophile or should we just see this as a star-crossed love affair?

Yes the law does state a teacher must not fall in love with a pupil, and quite rightly so.
Even if she was 18, the teacher could still be jailed.
It is a gross abuse of his position of trust.

Yes the teacher should be considered a sex offender, she is 15.

[RockerBlocks]

He's a grown man, he took advantage of a teenage girl.

Just thinking about it. He is taking someone's baby away from a mother. He abused he's powers, he used his powers to get closer to this and then whipped out his penis. If that doesn't sum up the story then you're clearly blind.

Love is love. But love is not love if it's an adult and a teenager. Teenagers are all about lust, Not love.

The teacher should've known better.