Ummm....only applies when the student isn't "willing".
And no, I don't condone teacher/student relations - period. And I have seen female students quite literally throw themselves at male teachers (particularly young coaches). Unfortunately, too many teachers don't have the willpower, morals, and just plane common sense to be a professional ADULT.
In some places, such behavior on the part of a teacher is "taken care of" by the locals. Sometimes it's not very pretty - but sure can be effective.
Then you have those locals who will just run the offender out of town - only to do the same at their next school....
Yes this is a problem that is getting media attention. But the epidemic is married women having sex with teenagers. I know of two couples that split up over this. Teacher or not, for some reason married women in general are going crazy. What gives?
This is not uncommon. I have heard of many cases that do not make the newspapers. Sometimes the teacher is fired, punished administratively, or nothing is done at all. And this is just the ones who are caught.