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An Alabama judge ruled Friday that a state law banning teachers from having sex with students was unconstitutional, dismissing charges against two school employees accused of doing just that.

Judge Glenn Thompson dismissed charges against 44-year-old former high school teacher Carrie Witt and 27-year-old former aide David Solomon, who worked at different schools. Witt was accused of sleeping with an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, and Solomon faced charges of having sex with a 17-year-old, according to local news reports.

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A teacher having sex with a student is a Class B felony under current state law, carrying a sentence of up to 20 years and fines of up to $30,000.

But Thompson agreed with the pair’s lawyers who argued that the law violated the 14th amendment — which was added after the U.S. civil war to ensure former slaves were treated equally under the law — as it treats educators differently than other citizens, al.com reported. The age of consent in Alabama is 16.