First things first: A student must be 18 years old to legally be able to consent to a relationship with an adult. Beyond that, some schools have specific rules about what to do if a student and a professor want to pursue a romantic relationship.

Can a teacher date an 18 year old?

Despite the legal definition of an adult as someone “18 and older,” state courts have held that sexual relationships between students and teachers are against the law. In April 2012, California lawmakers rejected Assembly Bill 1861, a bill that would have made it a felony for teachers to date their students.