LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the state’s law banning sexual contact between teachers and students, finding that people 18 or older have a constitutional right to engage in a consensual sexual relationship. The court sided with 38-year-old David Paschal, an Elkins High School history and psychology teacher who admitted having a five-month consensual sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student. “Regardless of how we feel about Paschal’s conduct, which could correctly referred to as reprehensible, we cannot abandon our duty to uphold the rule of law when a case presents distasteful facts,” wrote Chief Justice Jim Hannah. Attorneys for the state argued the law protects high school students from sexual advances of teachers who are in positions of authority. But the high court found the law was unconstitutional

Who would’ve guessed that of all the godforsaken Hellholes in America, Arkansas would be on the cutting edge of social justice?  Go figure.  OK, this is not a total victory.  I think we all would’ve preferred the Double Standard be upheld so that freakshows like David Paschal still go to jail for creeping on teenage girls.  And I would’ve like to seen the court say that having sex with students is only legal when teacher in question is hot.  Maybe set a standard of looks like B- or better.  And I’m sure all the Sex Scandal Teachers themselves would’ve liked to seen the age of consent dropped to like, oh, 12.  Just like with the Civil Rights movement, we’ve got to take our progress in baby steps.  It was 10 years between Brown v the Board of Education and The Civil Rights Act.  But like them, we’re getting there.  I have a dream.  That the day will come when a good looking teacher will be judged, not by the content of her character, but whether she was depraved and horny enough to make some underage kid into a school hero.  Free at last!  Free at last!  Thank gawdamighty, free at last!  @JerryThornton1