Relationships - Teacher/student illegal?

Many times teachers are only 3-4 years older than their students in high school. You gave the crucial word in your question, " FORMER" . If a student graduates and then decides to date a teacher they had in school, that is ok. The only thing wrong is if they are an actual student at the time.

For instance; You have a male high school teacher who is 23. He has a female student in class who is 18. While she is a student he keeps a very professional relationship with the student. She graduates at the end of that year. In 3 months they decide to date. There is nothing wrong with this. He has not stepped over the professional or ethical boundaries.

What is very wrong and does step over professional and ethical boundaries is when a teacher regardless of age dates a student. No excuses!!!!! If they want to date, then they need to follow the code of ethics for teachers and students.

However, age does factor in. I think we are all aware of ludicrous relationships where the teacher is much older than a student. Even if the word "former" was applied it still would not be very ethical. It would not be illegal providing they were within the statues of the law, but it would look rather inappropriate for the teacher.

Relationship between an 18 year old student & teacher: Not illegal, but the teacher could get fired & lose his teacher's license for it. (I've seen it happen)

Relationship between a former student (18 years old) & former teacher: Legal, but I'd wait a few months so that the school doesn't think something was going on while the 18 year old was a student in the school.

Relationship between a former student (21 year old) & a former teacher: Totally legal & now they can go get a real drink together! :-)

I don't think it has anything to do with Teacher-Student. I think it has to do with age. Like, a 14-year-old student and a 32-year-old teacher probably wouldn't be caught dead in a relationship, but a 22-year-old student and a 32-year-old teacher could be in a relationship. Once the student turns 18, they can date, marry, and have kids with whoever they want, legally. But if they weren't 18 at the time, not only would the teacher be breaking the law, but so would the kid... and they'd both end up in jail, or at least a Juvenile Detention Center, or doing some community service or something minor like that.

Depending on where you live, the first one MIGHT be illegal because the teacher is in a position of authority and trust over the student. I forget the age at which this is no longer an issue. It's either 18 or 19 in Canada but I forget which one. In Canada, 16 is the age of consent, UNLESS the older party is in a position of "trust" over the younger individual.

To my knowledge, non of these are. A teacher and a student-though legal at 18 years- is hugely frowned upon though and I think in bad taste. Most things you read on this are findings that things went on at younger than 18

Relationships between teachers and adult students are not illegal however the school/college may have a policy against such relationships. You need to check state laws and school policy in the area you are researching.

I believe that in all teacher contracts, it would be against the teacher's contract to have a relationship with any student in his school and probably in his/her district. It is the law of the teacher's contract and that would most likely end his/her teaching career. Think what would happen if it was OK ? that would greatly increase pedophiles to enter the teaching field !!