An Arkansas attorney plans to challenge a state law making it a felony for a public school teacher to have sexual contact with a student younger than 21.

Conrad Odom, a Fayetteville attorney, says he will argue the law is unconstitutional in his defense of 32-year-old Melissa Gayle Monroe. Monroe faces charges after prosecutors allege she had sex with an 18-year-old student and provided him alcohol on several occasions.

Odom says he plans to file the argument to the court by the end of June.

Monroe taught math in the Bentonville School District for seven years before her arrest. The district fired Monroe after her arrest.

Monroe, who lives in Bella Vista, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. She remains free on $5,000 bond.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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