The criminalization of consensual sex between adults is immoral, and it’s playing out in a particularly obnoxious way right now: Kennedale High School teacher Brittni Nicole Colleps turned herself in to Arlington police to face charges of “inappropriate relationships” with five male students. If the reports are true that all of her consenting partners are eighteen or over, then Tarrant County residents who care about the right to privacy should be concerned now.
It seems Colleps committed a felony because state law says that sexual relationships between teachers and their adult students need to be policed and prosecuted. “We’re concerned that a trust has been violated,” declared the spokesperson for the Arlington police. I agree, a trust has been violated – that is, the expectation that adults can choose with whom they’re intimate (however reckless, unwise or ethically questionable the choice may be) and not face criminal proceedings for it.
I understand why public schools would restrict teachers and adult students from sharing certain extracurricular activities: If the charges are true, Colleps should be facing censure and termination by her school district employers. But not a felony rap sheet and tons of local media coverage about her sex life. This ain’t right, people. (And yes, I will resist the urge to imbed Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher” in this blog post).
Not that it changes the severity of this issue, but Kennedale is not in Arlington ISD. Just an FYI.
I stand corrected on the ISD, NO. Thanks for the info.
Hi, you simply didn’t seem to catch the meaning of anything of it at all…First of all, being 18 doesn’t make you an adult. There can be quite a huge boundary between a 18yrold kid and an older (mature) adult. Here, students are put under adult’s supervision to gain independence, values, landmarks and to be offered protection (yes protection is also part of the deal). Psychologists (and I bet you’ve never heard about the word) are talking about the “general authority figure” that teachers embody though their protective and guiding mission. I am not sure you would like your daughter to engage in a group sex with her male teacher…Just to let you know, if the same thing happened to a male teacher he would have been called a pedophile or a rapist. Teaching is like being a 2nd parent in a way, and no one considers today (except from you) that a teacher’s bed should be that other place of education.
This is not where the education system is supposed to lead our youth to. You certainly must have no kids to state such pathetic and irresponsible comments. Or maybe you’re supporting this woman because you would do the same if you were her.