Goodwin said, “In the state of Illinois at age 17 you can consent to a sex act, but the suspect held a position of authority over the victim, that bumps it up to age 18.”

What is the deal with the two different ages? I definitely don't condone any teacher having sex with a student no matter what the age.

I don't think that specifically refers to teachers, just a position of authority - example, a boss and an employee. If you ran a shop, none of the shop girls would legally be allowed to consent to sex with you until they were 18, instead of 17, had they met you in a bar.

I agree with you on that. I guess the point I was making is that there are two ages. Is it okay if the student was 18? To me, that is still wrong.

Totally - personally I think that if one person has a position of responsibility over the other it's a bit suspect, regardless of age. But on the whole, teachers, lecturers and other educators should not look on their jobs as a dating opportunity.