If a teacher-student affair is considered taboo...?

Question

Then why do people tolerate employee-boss affairs?

Am I sensing a double-standard here?

Answer 1

Not really.

Participants in an office affair are of legal age. Both situations usually blow up and cause huge problems. But the office affair will not end up in legal charges.

Both are tasteless but the teacher/student is a bridge of trust. It falls directly into pedophilia in my mind if it is during the high school years.

Answer 2

I don't think everyone tolerates an employee-boss affair. Anytime someone feels coerces because the other person has some sort of power over them, it is wrong. Many students are underage, so this is wrong. If a student is not underage, then I don't think it is a problem. Many places of business, colleges included, have a policy again dating; as in boss/employee or teacher/student. These workplace policies are different from what we as society tolerate. Personally I don't have a problem with an adult student - teacher affair. I really don't care if someone has an employee-boss affair either as long as it does not cause trouble in the workplace.

Answer 3

Typically the student is a minor and the teacher is considered a person of authority. Though the boss is in authority figure, typically this type of liason does not involve a minor. Many companies do not tolerate boss/employee affairs either, though usually it is just the employee that is disciplined, not the boss.

Answer 4

You're not sensing a double standard, in some cases it is. However, having been in management for many years, I can tell you that almost all companies prohibit management/subordinate fraternization. If it happens, then sometimes it is overlooked, but it's never okay from a professional standpoint.
If a company does not address it at some point, then they have failed the entire company in a big way.
Of course, if it's the top boss and his/her secretary, then there's not much you can do about it if HR doesn't address it, but it's never a good example to set.
Many people now wish they had kept their desires in check as a result of the ramifications of this type affair. It has brought down companies as well as powerful and rich people.
My motto has always been, don't screw up the feedbag, and it has always worked for me. There has never been a situation where the only game in town was worth risking my income or reputation. There were always other fish in the ocean, you just have to look outside the "office aquarium".

Answer 5

No,

Usually a teacher student relationship is between a minor and a trusted adult (so there are elements of it being illegal).

Boos-employee relationships when carried out per your company's policy on such matters is legal as both persons are adults (but it could backfire into lawsuits when the break up is ugly).

Now all that said and done, yeah, everyone of us has had a crush on a teacher, and most of us should be grateful it was never, acted upon.

Answer 6

There's no double standard. The difference is that in a typical teacher/student affair, one is usually a minor (assuming it's high school age or under, those under the legal age of consent). People entrust the care of their children in the hands of people (teachers) who are supposed to be decent, responsible adults. If that confidence is misplaced, then it becomes a serious moral and legal breach. I hope you're not a teacher or other adult asking this question because you're causing me some serious angst.

Answer 7

No, because students are MINORs, below the age of consent. That would make them ILLEGAL, not just taboo. Teachers are there to INSTRUCT them, not have sex with them. Some high school teacher having sex with her junior high school student is statutory rape. Ditto if it is a man with a girl, or same sex. Doesn't matter.

As for employee-supervisor affairs, some aren't ethical, but they are between consenting ADULTS. I never dated my coworkers, simply because if it didn't work out I'd still have to see her.

So, no double standard at all.

Answer 8

Partially because there is an assumed age discrepancy in the teacher-boss affair. But a lot of companies have policies that make it so if you date a co-worker, then you can loose your job.

Answer 9

Well in most companies its against policy to date a person under you -- however there is a maturity level difference and also I think an academic environment is different than an office.

Answer 10

I think this has more to do with the student generally being a legal minor.