A scenario that has been raising concern on college campuses might go something like this: He is a middle-aged English professor, an expert on Henry James, who appears worldly and sophisticated in his tweed jacket while lecturing to his class. The appropriateness of faculty-student dating is being discussed on campuses throughout Westchester, echoing a nationwide debate about whether such relationships should be tolerated, regulated or banned altogether. She is an 18-year-old freshman, starry eyed and entranced by her teacher's apparent brilliance and sensitivity. Faculty members at the University of Virginia recently voted to prohibit sexual relationships between professors and the students they supervise. The newly enacted Every Student Succeeds Act prohibits school employees from aiding another school employee in obtaining a new job if there is probable cause to believe there has been sexual misconduct with a minor or student. If an individual is found to have engaged in sexual conduct or a romantic relationship with a student or minor, regardless of age or enrollment status in the district, the State Board for Educator Certification will permanently revoke that educator’s teaching certificate. The following was included in TCTA's 2016-17 Survival Guide, the ultimate reference tool for Texas educators, and is current as of September 2016 but is subject to change. The information below is for information purposes only, and is not intended to substitute for advice from an attorney. Are they two consenting adults in love, or is it sexual harassment and exploitation? A more stringent regulation, which would have banned romance between all professors and undergraduates, was voted down.
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