"How could that not be used to justify sex with pre-pubescant girls?" "This almost has to be a line from the NAMBLA handbook."
Sorry, I thought the boy was 16? If he was prepubescent then of course you are correct. Prepubescent children of either sex should NEVER have sex under any conditions. I don't recommend it for teens under 18 either, my only point is sex isn't likely to harm a teenage boy. It is pretty much all they think about anyway.
"The boy she had sex with ended up so messed up, that at this point, he's essentially a failure in life with little chance of turning things around."
Really? How do you know it was the sex that "messed" him up? My guess is that he was destined to be a loser anyway. What has he done that makes you judge him a "failure"?
" My argument is, and always has been, that those who violate age of consent laws should be prosecuted, and those who abuse a position of power should be fired and barred from any position of power."
My argument is that the double standard exists for a reason. Sex for teenage girls is more harmful than sex for teenage boys.
Men who violate age of consent laws with teenage girls should be prosecuted and fired. Women who do so with teenage boys should probably be fired, but unless the boy has been harmed by the relationship, it is hard to argue that there is a victim, or that she should be prosecuted.
"my only point is sex isn't likely to harm a teenage boy. It is pretty much all they think about anyway."
Your argument is moot in light of the laws in question and the reasons behind the rules for power-position jobs. Age of consent laws generally take gender into consideration. Those are the product of individual states. Often times, a 16-year old male is considered able to consent. As I said before, she should only be prosecuted if she broke the law, assuming this relationship actually happened. Are you saying we should invalidate our age of consent laws? Or that they should be ignored until they're adjusted to your personal standards? Or should we prosecute those who violate the law? The law in Georgia states that the boy can consent at 16 years of age. The obvious question is, however, did the relationship turn sexual prior to his 16th birthday? If it did, she is guilty of statutory rape, and can be sentenced up to 20 years of prison according to Georgia law. See
here.
The separate part of the problem is the power relationship between the two. That part of the problem maintains that age and gender are entirely irrelevant. The trouble is that individuals in a position of power have unusual influence over those under them. Again, this isn't about the manager at Wendy's and the cashier; but rather about real power positions, such as a therapist, priest, teacher, or parent. Individuals under the control of people in those positions generally find themselves unable to make informed decisions regarding personal interactions and relationships with the person or persons who have power over them. This is why a therapist is generally barred from any relationship with his/her patients. It doesn't matter if the patient is 50 years old or 15 years old. The power position essentially removes, in most cases, the ability to give informed consent. Regardless of the age of the boy, the teacher has crossed the line and should be fired immediately if the charges are prooven true.
"How do you know it was the sex that "messed" him up? My guess is that he was destined to be a loser anyway. What has he done that makes you judge him a "failure"?"
There's no way to pinpoint a single thing that "messed him up", but one can certainly look at the sequence of events and draw a conclusion that caution is advisable. The kid was in school and getting an education prior to this teacher developing a sexual relationship with him. Following that relationship and the conviction of the child rapist who was just recently released, he dropped out of school. Now he's unable to hold a job and can't even support himself. Someone in his position generally does not get better, but rather gets worse as time goes on. Is it possible he could turn his entire life around? Sure, but it's not likely.
"My argument is that the double standard exists for a reason. Sex for teenage girls is more harmful than sex for teenage boys."
Enforce the laws that are on the books and remove those from power who abuse that power for their own sexual gratification. If you disagree with the laws that treat boys and girls differently, then work to change those laws. Some states set the age of consent differently for boys and girls, while others have it set at the same age.
You've yet to answer my question as to how male teachers who have sex with male students should be treated. Should they be prosecuted? Should they be fired? Sex doesn't hurt boys, right? How about female teachers who have sex with female students? Is that ok as well?