Teacher Arrested for Wedding License With Teen

[Rhino]

Teacher Arrested for Wedding License With Teen

17-Year-Old's Parents Signed Consent Form for Their Daughter to Marry Her 27-Year-Old Teacher

By ANDREA CANNING, ROGER FORTUNA, JOEL PARKS and OLIVIA STERNS
April 11, 2008

A 27-year-old teacher in Texas has been arrested after he applied for a marriage license with his underage student, even though her parents gave consent.

Randy Arias taught Spanish and coached track at the Austin high school where 17-year-old Brenda Guerra was enrolled.

Police say that the pair secretly started dating one month ago and that they learned of the relationship from an anonymous caller....

...Police say even though the affair was consensual, Arias was arrested and now faces up to 20 years behind bars. In Texas any sexual relationship between a teacher and a student at the same school is a second-degree felony...http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4633367&page=1

[DeclinetoState]

If he had waited till she turned 18 . . .

[Lazarus]

In Texas any sexual relationship between a teacher and a student at the same school is a second-degree felony... Or apparently one of them need only transfer to a different school...

Is this just a goofy mistake on the part of the reporter or is this actually the way the Texas law is worded?

[PrezLeefun]

Hmmmm. They should have waited.

[TeenageRepublican]

What a bunch of r-tards.

[DesertFox]

Dumb. Just ... dumb.

[LivingDeadGirl]

Or apparently one of them need only transfer to a different school...

Is this just a goofy mistake on the part of the reporter or is this actually the way the Texas law is worded?

Unfortunately, I would imagine that is the way the law is worded.

[Rhino]

That's the way the law is written. It's tailored toward the abuse of a position of authority angle.

[Rhino]

§ 21.12. IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATOR AND
STUDENT. (a) An employee of a public or private primary or
secondary school commits an offense if the employee engages in:
(1) sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate
sexual intercourse with a person who is enrolled in a public or
private primary or secondary school at which the employee works and
who is not the employee's spouse; or
(2) conduct described by Section 33.021, with a person
described by Subdivision (1), regardless of the age of that person.
(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second
degree.
(c) If conduct constituting an offense under this section
also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the
actor may be prosecuted under either section or both sections.
(d) The name of a person who is enrolled in a public or
private primary or secondary school and involved in an improper
relationship with an educator as provided by Subsection (a) may not
be released to the public and is not public information under
Chapter 552, Government Code.http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/PE/content/htm/pe.005.00.000021.00.htm#21.12.00

[Teenager]

So, I'm guessing that Texas considers a marriage as a "sexual relationship?"????

[DesertFox]

And second degree felony means what kind(s) of punishment? Anybody know?

[Rhino]

§ 12.33. SECOND DEGREE FELONY PUNISHMENT. (a) An
individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree shall be
punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term
of not more than 20 years or less than 2 years.
(b) In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged
guilty of a felony of the second degree may be punished by a fine not
to exceed $10,000.http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/PE/content/htm/pe.003.00.000012.00.htm

[DesertFox]

Ouch! At my school, if you are foolish enough to replace the rear 10-ply tires on your school-owned van after same was vandalized, you can either consider that you have donated the tires ($315 for the pair) or you can insist on getting your money back and face being charged with a second-degree felony.

I know, cuz I was in that spot about a month ago. I needed the van for an activity with my cadets, some asshole ruined both rear tires, the district's transportation shop said they didn't have any money to replace the tires, I replaced them myself, then axed about reimbursement, then got told they were my tires. Along with the note that said so was a rundown on receiving property in the school's name before arranging thru channels for it to be paid by the district.

IOW: If you're just interested in getting the job done, you can pay it yourself. I can understand why the policy is at it is, but here again the policy needs to consider circumstances and be more flexible.