Gazette Opinion Misstates Issue in Senator Raskin Bill

The following sentence is included in today's Gazette Editorial on Senator Jamie Raskin's proposal to permit young teachers to have sexual contact with teenagers.

"Should a 19-year-old coach be prosecuted for a relationship with a 17-year-old athlete?"

It is very disappointing that the Gazette Editors would make such a glaring error in their Opinion on the Position of Authority legislation proposed by Senator Jamie Raskin. 

Under current law, and under the proposed bills, an adult is defined as someone 21 and OLDER! The current law and proposed bills do not make it a crime for a 19 year old to have sexual contact with a 17 year old! The example used in this Gazette Opinion does not even relate to the debate in Annapolis!  

FACT: Senator Jamie Raskin's proposed bill would allow young teachers/coaches aged 21-24 to have sexual contact with students aged 16 and 17. 

A 24 year old teacher and a 17 year old teen are "close" in age? How many parents are on board with that? That is the "gap" that Senator Raskin supports. He calls sexual relationships between a 24 year old teacher and a 17 year old student "basically innocent." 
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2014/02/sen-raskin-on-22-yr-old-teachercoach.html 

It is wonderful that the Gazette is attempting to follow these bills and take a position, but the explanation of what the debate is about is completely incorrect.  Readers have been mislead.