In case you hadn’t heard, 32-year-old former Michigan teacher James Chelekis has been sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison for attempting to kill his wife by slashing her throat. Her transgression, in his eyes, was finding out that he’d been sleeping with a 14-year-old student.
Here’s how the AP framed it:
Ex-Michigan teacher sentenced to prison for slashing his wife's throat after she discovered he was having an affair with middle-school student. https://t.co/9UUhE5dHw5
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 25, 2018
TIME, who ran the AP’s story, apparently didn’t see the need to make much of a change:
Teacher who had an affair with a middle-school student sentenced to 30 to 60 years https://t.co/Vrsw5pZT1h
— TIME (@TIME) January 25, 2018
Oh? An affair? Is that what they’re calling it these days?
“Having an affair”… that doesn’t seem like an accurate way to put it.
— Gregg Popovich Stan (@__pettynextdoor) January 25, 2018
Affair?? AP you've lost it.
— Kenneth Turner (@Kennysus) January 25, 2018
WTF do you mean "had an affair with a middle-school student"? It's called rape. What the hell is happening to the language? #JournalismIsDead https://t.co/DQmInMQkVc
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) January 25, 2018
Who, exactly, is TIME trying not to offend here? Ephebophiles? Pedophiles?
Not an affair, @AP . Abusing a 14-year old.
— jahm (@Jenahm18) January 25, 2018
It's impossible for a middle school aged child to be involved in an affair.
The child was being abused.
— MissBwalya (@missbwalya) January 25, 2018
At #FakeNews @TIME, statutory rape = "having an affair."
— George Warner (@RealPunkJob) January 25, 2018
“ affair with a middle school student” is what the rest of America refers to as rape
— News Junkie (@mbhtt) January 25, 2018
major problem, the title saying "affair" nah, he was raping that child.
— Michele Poindexter (@the_flyingvegan) January 25, 2018
A middle schooler can not consent to an affair with an adult. It’s called molestation and/or rape. The words we choose are important.
— quinnwall (@kquinncornwall) January 25, 2018
That “affair” is called rape
— Colin (@coronadorukus) January 25, 2018
This is rape, not "an affair". #callraperape
— fata morgana (@hktparty) January 25, 2018
Fix your garbage headline. The girl was a 14 yr old middle school student. It was RAPE.
— JMillspaw (@jmillspaw2010) January 25, 2018
You mean he was RAPING a minor.
— JL Sigman, the tired Caretaker (@JLSigman) January 25, 2018
I mean….by "Affair with middle school student" you do mean, raped, right? I thought we all agreed that children can't consent to sex acts with adults…..
— Kim P (@kimaloo25) January 25, 2018
Adults don’t have affairs with minors. That’s called rape.
— Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Ba… (@megdropsoup) January 25, 2018
He raped a child. That's not an "affair."
— Bibliotecharia (@FlorYPluma) January 25, 2018
say it with me:
IT'S NOT AN AFFAIR – IT'S STATUTORY RAPE.
— Never Worn (@Neverworn2) January 25, 2018
I am so with you! It’s disgusting and creepy that the writer would say “affair”.
— Tired of the bull (@notsensative) January 25, 2018
they are letting the predators control the narrative its gross
— gg 🙊🙈🙉 (@gina_goldberg) January 25, 2018
Dear "reporter". Having an affair is when two consenting adults have romantic or sexual relations. When an adult has sex with a 14-year-old, it is rape. If you and your editor can't figure that out, find a new job.
— Julie Weathers (@Julie_Weathers) January 25, 2018