Age issue questioned in teacher-student sex law

The arrest of a high school teacher for allegedly having sex with an 18-year-old student has raised questions about the age constraints of the state's three-year-old law criminalizing student-teacher sexual relationships.

Amy McElhenney, 25, was arrested May 25 and charged with having an improper relationship with a student. The Spanish teacher and former Miss Texas contestant faces up to 20 years in prison, if convicted. But some lawmakers say the Hebron High School student's status as a legal adult should exempt McElhenney from the felony charge. State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas, wrote the Texas law in 2003 that criminalizes sex between educators and students. But she said she wanted the law to apply only to students 17 and younger - uncomfortable with making sex between two legal, consenting adults a felony. [...]

source: Article 'Age issue questioned in teacher-student sex law'; www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3959945.html; Chron.com; (Associated Press); 11 June 2006