A bill making it through the Michigan state Senate seeks to expand laws making prohibiting sex between school employees and students. If passed Senate Bill 596 would make consensual sex between school employees – including teachers and administrators – to have sex with students even if the student is older than 18. The law would apply even in those instances of consent, ostensibly to prevent a school employee from taking advantage of a student.
Specifically, Senate Bill 596 would amend MCL 750.520(d) and (e) to provide:
(1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if the person engages in sexual penetration with another person and if any of the following circumstances exists:
(e) That other person is at least 16 years of age and IS a student at a public school or nonpublic school and either of the following applies:
(i) the actor is a teacher, substitute teachers, or administrator…”
Under current law, teenagers can willingly “consent” to sex after the age of 16. Where the person is an authority figure, the age of consensual sex is 18. The new law seeks to eliminate any age limit – making it illegal for school staff to have consensual sex even with students above the age of 18.
Recently, a substitute teacher was charged with third degree sexual conduct for having sex with 3 17-year-old boys during the summer months.
Sex crime charges are serious and have the potential to negatively affect your future, requiring potential jail time, registration on the sex crimes registry and even creating a long-lasting public stigma.
If you have been charged with any form of criminal sexual conduct, it is imperative to speak with an experienced Michigan sex crimes defense lawyer at once to protect your rights and prepare your defense.
For more information about the bill or if you or a loved one is under investigation for any Michigan sex crime, please contact the aggressive Michigan sex crimes defense firm of Grabel & Associates for a free initial consultation.