DOUBLE STANDARDS: A BRIEF RANT

Sticking with the teenager theme:

By now, I'm sure everyone has seen THIS STORY and/or its follow-up stories.

First of all, this teacher is hot. What horned-up teenage kid wouldn't want to sleep with her?

Second, when I was 16 I had a "friend" who made out with one of his teachers. No! It wasn't me!! It was my "friend"! Damn she was a good kisser! (At least thats what my "friend" said.) I don't see anything wrong with that.

Thirdly, these kids come out of this with a great education!! I can say that I learned A LOT from the first older woman I dated, back when I was a spry young buck.

So getting to the point, should this woman really be tried for stat. rape?? I really hate that whole concept anyway. Rape is rape is rape - if one person is not a willing participant, it is rape. If both are post-pubescent and consenting, it really shouldn't be a problem. I'm not saying that I necessarily agree with people of that large of age discrepancy messing around, I'm just saying that the charges are ridiculous. I'm also not condoning teachers and students messing around. To accept that is standing on top of a very slippery slope.

Do I think this woman should be criminally charged? I'm not sure, depends on the lesser charge. Should she have to spend the rest of her life registering as a sex offender? No.

What if she were a man and the students were girls? He would be burned at the stake and picked apart by vultures. Is this right? Depends on the circumstance. I remember lots of girls in my high school who not only knew they were hot, but made SURE the male teachers noticed them. Should a male teacher charged with same charges be forced to register as a sex offender the rest of his life? I don't think so.

This is all a matter of discretion. Not to be confused with the sicko perverts who seriously pray on little kids. Those are the people that should be brutally punished.

Having said all that, do I think woman and men should be held similarly accountable in these similar circumstances? No. I know our justice system functions under the idea of "without prejudice", and it seems to work that way. Changing it could open Pandora's box. However, I also believe in sensibility and often times people are charged with shit that just isn't sensible.

Thats what I think. Coming to you live, my name is Brian. Thanks, and goodnight.