Coerce...

An Alabama judge ruled that a law barring teachers from having sexual relationships with students old enough to consent is unconstitutional.

Morgan County Circuit Judge Glenn Thompson dismissed charges against 44-year-old Carrie Witt, a former teacher at Decatur High School, and 27-year-old David Solomon, a former contract teacher at Falkville High School.

Witt is accused of having sex with two students and Solomon with one all over the age of 16, the state's legal age of consent.

Thompson ruled that prosecutors must prove that the teacher used a "position of authority" to "coerce, groom, or otherwise obtain the illegitimate consent of the alleged victims."
Thompson said that while there may be a gap in power between teacher and student, it "clearly does not exist between every school employee and every student regardless of where that student is enrolled."  Just a thought.