How should a teacher who has sex with a student be punished?

[Sancho]

39. It may not be "law", but reality is that in most of the South, discrimination is still pervasive.

I grew up and taught in SC and GA for years.

If a 16 year old white male student had consentual sex with a female teacher, it likely wouldn't be prosecuted unless it was a public embarrassment or the parents wanted to pursue it. Sometimes the teacher would be fired, but not always.

If the student was black and the teacher was white, there would would more likely be charges.

If the student is female and white, more likely the teacher would be prosecuted (most teaching contracts have morality clauses and certification has a code of ethics even if the student is the age of consent), but in many cases the teacher is never charged.

If the student and teacher are both black, it's very possible it would not be prosecuted.

That's the reality...it may be changing, but I've seen it. Here in Florida it seems more likely that teachers would be prosecuted.