teacher/student relationships?RWBS

[dbleon]

Interesting story online at canada.com regard this topic Just wondering how others feel about this?

[tutu14]

Here's where to find the article. http://www.canada.com/winnipeg/story.html?...7b-bde908586f4f]article]www.canada.com/winnipeg/story.html?id=94b4aae8-1e2f-47eb-b27b-bde908586f4f]article[/url]

Not sure how to provide a link.

[dbleon]

and another in the winnipegfreepress.

[NEB]

This is a tough one. Although I don't approve, both teacher and student are adults. Presumably the teacher met this student while still a minor at the school? Did the school spell out the provision in their teacher contracts?

[dbleon]

This has made many many students and parents uncomfortable..and caused some to stop attending altogether...I think the issue is that she was a student of his for 2 yrs BEFORE she became a graduate in May/June

[Guest balletandsynchro]

What is the age of majority in Canada? 17 or 18? That would have a bearing on this case.

 

Needless to say, pretty icky

[tutu14]

I believe the Age of Majority is 18 or 19 depending on which province you live in. It's 18 in Manitoba.

[Mel Johnson]

Believe it or not, the Federal Criminal Code in Canada makes the age of consent for sex (hold on to your hats) 14! However, as Tutu14 has pointed out, the provinces have additional laws which change that. Manitoba is 18. There is, however, a provision about "abuse of a position of trust or power" that would affect cases of this nature.

[nlkflint]

Never appropriate for a teacher and a student as long as the teacher remains a teacher and a student a student. Interesting comments that she kept the relationship from her parents. Every parents nightmare IMHO. In Florida, if this were a public school situation, as long as the teacher remained employed by the school and the student enrolled as a student, the teacher would be arrested if there was a sexual relationship at any time while the girl was under 18, even if it was not found out until after 18. The teacher would also loose their ability to teach in the state.

[Mel Johnson]

As a matter of ethics, that's essentially correct, however, this is Canadian law, and not being a Canadian lawyer, I can't comment about the specific application of law in this matter beyond quoting the applicable Federal Code.

[dbleon]

These comments reflect what many feel..both parents and students...there MUST always maintain a teacher/student relationship.....there are many parent saying there but I go... we send our students into these schools and for the most part never know all that happens!

[Mel Johnson]

That's what I suspect the "trust and power" clause in the law is about, but there would have to be far more detail in both specifications in the case and citation of case law before I would venture more than I've already said. Ethically, it's a different matter, but we always hope that the law backs up ethics. It doesn't always happen.

[NEB]

In response to nkflint...again, I find this distasteful and definately do not approve, but then it would follow that an adult teacher in an adult dance class could not date one of his or her adult students?, ever? Where do you draw the line? I think these kinds of restrictions need to be carefully spelled out in a contract, as there doesn't seem to be anything like common sense anymore. In my opinion if these two wished to date after the minor came of age, one or the other of them should have left the studio. If indeed there was any contact before the student came of age the teacher should be prosecuted.

[BW]

I'm sure everyone here realizes that this kind of thing does not exist solely in residency programs. I'm not excusing this nor condoning it but just want to be sure everyone is aware of this fact.

[dancemomCA]

My only comment here is that this is not a local studio, the teacher involved is not just a "teacher", there is a governing Board of Directors which oversees this large institution. There is much more to the situation than presented here or in the newspaper - and you don't think that this doesn't happen in companies, and other forms of art?? Unfortunately, it involved two consenting adults, who didn't think through the consequences of their actions.