USA Today
Originally published March 30, 2012
The Arkansas Supreme Court has struck down a law banning sexual contact between teachers and students, saying people over 18 have a constitutional right to engage in a consensual sexual relationship.
In its ruling, the high court sided with David Paschal, 38, a history and psychology teacher at Elkins High School who is serving a 30-year prison sentence after admitting to having a five-month consensual sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student, the Associated Press reports.
Chief Justice Jim Hannhan wrote that the law on sexual contact between students under 21 and public school employees such as teachers, coaches and principals "criminalizes sexual conduct between adults."
The entire story is here.
