Mr. Lion’s post about
his friend who was in love with her professor yesterday inspired my topic for today – teacher/student relationships and what is taking it too far?
In college, I had a professor that everyone (including myself) was in love with. He was just that awesome. Even the straight guys in the class had little crushes on him. But then, at the end of the semester, he asked out one of my trampy coke-whore classmates (I went to art school so I’m not really exaggerating), and well, I’ve just never looked at him the same again. Apparently they slept together a couple of times and he really had feelings for her (*gags*) but then she ended it. I was totally heart broken when I found this out and the pedestal I held him on crumbled.
I suppose it's not that bad. It was the end of the semester before he asked her out (though grades weren’t technically out yet…) and she certainly wasn’t underage, so there’s nothing illegal about it. And hey, if it had been me he had asked out, I probably wouldn't have had a problem with it because I was totally in love with him so I would've been to giddy to question the ethics of it. But it wasn't me he asked out and now that my feelings for him have waned slightly, I can’t help but feel like it’s a little unethical. Like maybe if he had waited even a couple weeks longer it might not seem so bad because it would’ve been in the more distant past that he was her teacher.
On the other hand, that’s not that bad compared to this story: I knew a guy who’s high school drama teacher kissed him backstage at the school play when he was a Senior and then after he graduated, left her husband for him. He was 18, but he was still in high school. Again, nothing technically illegal, but I just can’t help feeling like that’s crazy
and unethical. Or at the very least really
really stupid on the teacher’s part. He’s in
high school. You’re
married. Hello? Gross.
What do you think? Is it unethical for a teacher to have a relationship with a student? What about a former student?
Comments (3)
My dad was my mom's teacher. He was a grad student teaching an undergrad course. He asked her out on the last day of class.
I think each situation is different.
If there's a conflict of interest (relationship or crushing) going on while there's still a student-teacher thing, that's a problem.
After they're no longer in a professional relationship, anything goes.
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - I'd agree there. While still in a teacher-student relationship there'd be a conflict of interest. But after that phase is over? Anything's fine in my opinion.