The Arkansas Supreme Court overturned a law against teacher-student sex:
David Paschal, a former teacher at Elkins High School engaged in a sexual relationship with one of his students in 2010. The student who was 18 years old, alerted authorities of her relationship with Paschal after the two separated.
The former history and psychology instructor was charged with four counts of sexual assault and was sentence to 30 years behind bars.
However, since the student was a legal adult and the sex was consensual, the Arkansas Supreme Court granted Paschal his freedom.
“Regardless of how we feel about Paschal’s conduct, which could correctly be referred to as reprehensible, we cannot abandon our duty to uphold the rule of law when a case presents distasteful facts,” the court said.
Distasteful? Yes. But sex between consenting adults, no matter how icky, can’t be punishable with jail time. I mean, 30 years?
Don’t get me wrong; Paschal should have been fired with extreme prejudice. But striking down this law was the right thing to do.
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