But why doesn't someone identify an underlying, much too common problem here? Once a student is 18 at the beginning of an academic year, they should not be allowed to have any contact with the younger students, if they're allowed in the school during normal hours at all.
I've been to some schools that isolate the Freshmen from the rest of the school. A few even separate the Grade 9 boys and girls, and keep a very close eye on the protection of the girls from upperclass boys. It's a real good idea in some environments, and it works.
That would be impossible to do; however, many states have so called Romeo laws, which acknowledge that there is a big difference between a 17 year old having sexual relations and with someone who is 18 vs 40. These laws generally put a 2 year window on age that overrides statutory rape laws.
There is a lot of difference in maturity between kids 14-18. Some 18 year olds look like children and some 14 year olds look like adults (especially with makeup).
IMHO, any adult that is over 20 shouldn't be dating someone in HS, although the level of maturity is overlapping.
IMHO.. it made more sense to have middle school from grades 7-9 and high school grades 10-12. They use to have that type of arrangement in our county years ago. When you look at the incoming Freshman class vs the Senior class.. the age/maturity disparity is quite noticeable.