A high school teacher in Pennsylvania named Emily Nesbit is facing felony charges after she was caught having sex with one of her students. The twist here that is different from many similar stories we've heard before ... The student is 18 years old currently, and it seems that he was when he was in this inappropriate relationship with Nesbit.

The 11th grade English teacher admitted she had been having sex with him, and they were even involved in an encounter in a classroom as recently as two weeks ago, according to Cumberland County authorities. But two days after school officials learned of her alleged hook-ups, Nesbit reportedly abruptly resigned, later turning herself into police on Friday. She was then formally charged with institutional sexual assault and now faces up to seven years behind bars. (Meanwhile, the student faces no charges.)

While I could see the need for a jail sentence for Nesbit, I'm not sure up to seven years is necessary, considering the age of the student.

Whether or not we think of it as such in this context, 18 is legally an adult. Eighteen-year-olds can serve in our military, buy cigarettes, and vote. Thus, it's not like the government doesn't see an 18-year-old as fully aware of his actions. This one allegedly had listed his teacher in his cellphone contacts as "my lady friend"! It definitely doesn't sound like he was an innocent, naive party, unaware that this relationship was inappropriate. And yet, he isn't facing any charges -- but Nesbit faces up to seven years ...

That said, of course it falls on a 31-year-old teacher to reject obviously inappropriate situations like this. And it seems Nesbit realizes she was in the wrong, as her lawyer stated:

She intends to accept responsibility in court and continue to work on her personal issues that led to the alleged inappropriate conduct.

This isn't at all one of the worst instances of inappropriate teacher conduct we've ever seen, and it definitely shouldn't be punished as such. Especially if Nesbit is only going to be sent to jail for seven years so the county can make an example of her.