TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill this week that closes a loophole that allowed college professors to have intimate relationships with high school students over the age of consent who take their classes.
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House Bill 3258 — authored by Rep. Jadine Nollan (R; Tulsa) — was drafted after a Tulsa parent reached out to Nollan seeking to put the same standards in place for college professors and high school students as are in place for high school teachers.
In debate on the State Senate floor legislators say the family found their concurrently enrolled student involved in a consensual dating relationship with their college professor. The student was taking this professor’s class while finishing high school.
The family however, reached out to FOX23 to say it was not a consensual relationship and they learned of the loop hole when they tried to file a restraining order with police.
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Local law enforcement told the family nothing could be done about the relationship on their end.
This bill allows students concurrently enrolled to date someone who is within three years of their own age. A relationship with anyone else employed by a school the students are enrolled with will be illegal.
The law takes effect this November.
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