First grader suspended for sexual harassment
Give me a break! What child of six knows what sexual harassment is? This world has gone wild when it comes to the ‘No tolerance’ rule in our schools, especially with these little children.
Apparently, a child touching another because the other child had touched him (in playing – wouldn’t you expect this in this age group?) causes such a stir among the teachers of first graders now days. At least, it does in Brockton, Mass., where a six-year-old boy was suspended for three days from school. The child was afraid the police was coming to get him. He had no idea what he had done wrong. Why do we have to scare these little children with ‘adult’ worries? No doubt this child was doing nothing but touching this little girl back when she touched him. But the teacher took her word that ‘he touched my skin’ to mean he was sexually harassing her!
We need to get a grip! Children will be children until they grow into teenagers. They will be teenagers until they learn how to be adults. Some children never learn because we pressure them into growing up long before they are ready. They don’t understand the adults’ worries and concerns. I think adults worry too much about children and their way of playing. Heaven help this child if they ever engage in a game of ‘doctor and nurse’! He will be ushered into reform school until he is 18!
We are stealing our children’s innocent years by teaching them things for which they are not ready. Some assume children at this age should be told about sex, sexual harassment, etc. But, I assure you, unless you are doing things you shouldn’t be doing in front of your child (or others are), and they aren’t watching unsuitable programs on television, they don’t understand half of what they are being told. There is a time to teach children about sexual harassment, but hopefully, it is not at the age of six! Keep your hands to yourself should be a rule taught to these children. And, if they are continually touching others inappropriately (which I doubt this boy was), then you have a talk with him about minding – not remove him from his school room of first graders (his friends) and make a spectacle of him in front of those children!
Linked at Conservative Cat
Technorati Tags: Children, Innocence, Sexual Harassment, First Graders
3 Comments:
Isn't that the truth, Barb. You wrote about it very well. It does sound like ignorance on the part of the teacher. It is sad what our children have to be exposed to these days.
One day in a music store I managed, a music store where I sold popular music on CD, a young child, who couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 got up close behind his sister (I assume it was his sister) and started to "bump and grind".
I couldn't believe my eyes!
The mother reprimanded the kid but I'm sure that the child learned that behavior somewhere and I suspect at home.
So while I see your point because at 6 all I cared about was swinging on the swing set and pretending to be an airplane pilot, our culture flashes sexual images all over the place in plain view of kids. Music is provocative and public displays of "affection" are condoned. Kids are learning bad behaviors early these days.
Our pastor's wife a few years ago was substitute teaching at a local elementary school when she noticed that the third grader she allowed to go use the restroom hadn't returned. She tracked him down, entered the restroom to find him lying facedown on the bathroom floor humping it! What is that?
She stopped substituting after that and has decided that her children do not need to attend that public school.
The child in the story may not know what "sexual harrassment" is, but may merely be imitating the behavior he has seen others display. Now, if only we could suspend the example setters!
the children of today are becoming aware of sexual action way before they even know what it is all about...I teach 3rd thru 5th grade Sunday school and I am always amazed at some of the comments these children come out with... I am sure that the 6 yr old didn't know what he was doing even if he did touch her inappropriately.. we need to correct and control them...not expel them
I am happy I do not have children or grandchildren in public school any more!!!
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