[pete.z]

Creative with cell-phones?

May 29th, San Diego, Cal.
Administrators at the Discovery Middle School in San Diego California have banned the possession of cell phones on the school's buses after a series of sexually explicit pictures taken with camera phones turned up on a website frequented by students at that school.
The pictures were of several students, both male and female, masturbating on the school's buses. A counselor at Discovery, who asked not to be identified, said that the pictures are part of a game the students call “phone freaking.” The students apparently willingly engaged in sexual activities, knowing that the pictures would be posted on this website.
The website only recently came to the attention of the school after a parent found the page on her daughter's computer. The page, located on a popular blogging site, was protected by a password. On it were up to thirty pictures of students engaging in sexual behavior. Many of the pictures, according to sources who have viewed the site, included captions commenting on the activity or on the students' physical characteristics.
“Obviously, we are very concerned about this,” said Discovery principal Sam Albertson. “We felt that we needed to put an immediate stop to this behavior, and that is why we've told students to leave cell phones and cameras at home.” Albertson said that the school will speak to the students involved on a one-on-one basis. That has, however, been a challenge, since faces are visible in only a few of the images.
Parents, meanwhile, have barraged the school with calls in an attempt to find out if their children were involved in the incidents. Because of rules mandating confidentiality, the school says that it has been unable to comply with the request.
The blogging site which hosted the images says that the usage policy prohibits pornographic or illegal images, and has removed the page from its computers.

Associated Press.

[von Wrangell]

This part:

Because of rules mandating confidentiality, the school says that it has been unable to comply with the request.

Just wondering. What age are these kids?

[Millennium]

I remember the days when 'phone phreaking' just meant tricking the system into giving you free long-distance...

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by von Wrangell

This part:

Just wondering. What age are these kids?

Middle school is grade 6-8, and the kids are 11-14.

I don't really understand how this activity could be taking place, especially in middle school and especially on the middle school bus. I would have thought middle school would be the least likely place in which students would engage in such behavior. It has to be a wealthier district for the parents to be inclined to give their kids camera phones, which does not make much sense either. Finally, I don't see how the school could deny valid requests from parents for information based on confidentially claims. There could be no confidentiality obligation to students that would override the right of their parents to limited information on the incidents.

[von Wrangell]

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Middle school is grade 6-8, and the kids are 11-14.

I don't really understand how this activity could be taking place, especially in middle school and especially on the middle school bus. I would have thought middle school would be the least likely place in which students would engage in such behavior. It has to be a wealthier district for the parents to be inclined to give their kids camera phones, which does not make much sense either. Finally, I don't see how the school could deny valid requests from parents for information based on confidentially claims. There could be no confidentiality obligation to students that would override the right of their parents to limited information on the incidents.

Thanks. That's what I thought as well(about the confidentially claims). I don't know the laws in the US but doesn't a parent have the right to know everything the school(and other institutions like hospitals) get to know about their children?

[wdlove]

Originally Posted by von Wrangell

Thanks. That's what I thought as well(about the confidentially claims). I don't know the laws in the US but doesn't a parent have the right to know everything the school(and other institutions like hospitals) get to know about their children?

The ACLU is trying to limit parental rights. I remember the days before cell phones. When it was only a physician that had a pager.

It has happened in school restrooms and on buses here in Massachusetts. The most infamous was at a private school where a female performed oral sex on multiple males.

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by von Wrangell

Thanks. That's what I thought as well(about the confidentially claims). I don't know the laws in the US but doesn't a parent have the right to know everything the school(and other institutions like hospitals) get to know about their children?

Unfortunately, no. This right is being steadily eroded by people who believe that parents are more of a danger to their own children than the school system, and know less about how their own children ought to be raised.

[RAILhead]

I think all schools should have cell phone dampers so NONE could work. Use a land line, and use radios. OF c course, I don't think dampers would people form taking pics, but they wouldn't be able to send them while in the building. OF course, this didn't happen inside the building...

Oh, never mind...

Maury

[memento]

Originally Posted by Millennium

I remember the days when 'phone phreaking' just meant tricking the system into giving you free long-distance...

ditto.

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

I think all schools should have cell phone dampers so NONE could work. Use a land line, and use radios. OF c course, I don't think dampers would people form taking pics, but they wouldn't be able to send them while in the building. OF course, this didn't happen inside the building...

Oh, never mind...

The problem I have with this is that sometimes emergency situations do come up, where cell phones can be not only important but vital. The most common ones I can think of come about when a close family member is hospitalized, and will be going into emergency or labor soon.

I think the school my wife teaches at has a decent policy: all cell phones must be off when class is in session, but you can get special permission from the administration to leave yours on if there is a case of actual need. You can check messages between classes, so even unforeseen events are communicated in a reasonable amount of time.

[philm]

Keesh. What ever happened to shove ha'penny and hopscotch?

[RAILhead]

That's what radios are for. If someone can dial my cell number, they can dial the school office number. SImply state it's an emergency, and the faculty/staff can radio to get whomever to notify them of the situation.

Maury

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by RAILhead

That's what radios are for. If someone can dial my cell number, they can dial the school office number. SImply state it's an emergency, and the faculty/staff can radio to get whomever to notify them of the situation.

Fair enough, but most cell-phone dampers also kill radios. Cell phones communicate over radio frequencies, and so most technological measures currently work by filtering radio waves. It works, but it's a blunt instrument; other forms of radio communication don't work either.

[ghporter]

Emergencies crop up when the administration of the school CANNOT report them, such as when Columbine was terrorized by two murderous students... All it takes is one event to cause a huge reaction that can completely destroy any utility in ANYONE having a cell phone.

We got our son one so we could keep control of him and it has worked very well. Further, his schools have always had a policy that phones are OFF during class periods-which does not include lunch periods. Any student using a phone during class hours has his or her phone confiscated, and it will only be returned to a PARENT. This policy is part of the overall school operating policy, and it WORKS.

Now, let's all understand something: middle school kids are a LOT more sexually active than we would like to acknowledge. This has been happening for a LONG TIME, too. I can remember being in 8th grade and seeing stuff go on that was "advanced" to me, but was not at all uncommon; stairwells are often used for more than going from one floor to another... I saw lots of petting, what might even be called "groping" along with very intimate kissing, and these were 13 and 14 year olds. What time period am I talking about? I was in junior high school between 1971 and 1974.

A lot of early teens are getting into sexual activity and it is NOT a good thing for anyone. Part of it has to do with the fact that they do NOT get enough education about their own bodies, nor how males and females interact. Parents AND schools are to blame for this, mainly I think because all of these adults get squeemish when it comes to thinking about these kids being sexual beings. Tough, folks, it's a fact!

This age group gets involved with a lot of activities they do not consider "sex," too. For example, there seems to be a lot of oral sex going on-and primarily felatio performed by females. The kids don't think it's "sex" because it can't result in pregnancy, but it CAN result in transmission of sexually transmitted infections. (I personally think oral sex is MORE intimate than genital sex, but that's a more mature viewpoint, I'll admit.)

The real issue in the San Diego case is that there is an obvious lack of student control, both on the busses and at home. Kids do not spend much time blogging at school, for crying out loud, so they must be doing it at home...Hey parents: what is YOUR kid blogging about? I certainly knew EVERYTHING my son did online-and of course it ticked him off. But he also knew that I was watching out for him at the same time. Are these kids' parents watching out for them? It certainly doesn't look like it.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Now, let's all understand something: middle school kids are a LOT more sexually active than we would like to acknowledge. This has been happening for a LONG TIME, too. I can remember being in 8th grade and seeing stuff go on that was "advanced" to me, but was not at all uncommon; stairwells are often used for more than going from one floor to another... I saw lots of petting, what might even be called "groping" along with very intimate kissing, and these were 13 and 14 year olds. What time period am I talking about? I was in junior high school between 1971 and 1974.

I agree with the rest of your post, gh, but I think it's important to note the level of sexual activity in middle school apparently varies widely. Interestingly, according to what you've written and according to the details of this article, it seems there is not much correlation between district wealth or the purported sexualization of kids at earlier ages. I was that age a couple of decades+ after you were, and while there certainly was a lot of talk about sex at that age, I heard of little sexual activity. And yet, your anecdotal experience is much more similar to what was going on at this San Diego school.

As others have pointed out, kids should have access to cell phones for safety and parental convenience, but I find camera phones to be excessive at the middle school level. There is no valid reason I can see for parents to indulge their kids in that manner. Camera phones are unnecessary luxuries for most adults. If one puts those devices in the idle hands of the immature (immaturity defines most middle school students), odd things are bound to happen. I still would not have anticipated anything on this level, however.

[DarwinX]

Parents. They need to be parents, not their children's "best friend."

Be involved in your kids life so you know what's happening, changing and how they're thinking/reacting. I'm not a parent, but that strikes me as common sense. Did I always agree with what my parents told me or wanted me to do? No. Does it appear now later on in life that they only had my best interest in mind, absolutely.

There does seem to be a lack of supervision for this to be happening on the school bus and I hope this is investigated. I am with others in that cell phones should be regulated to no use during classes or other instructional events. But if it is lunch time, the student has time between class then these things are fine. Think of a school with a no cell phone policy and something bad happens(natural disater, columbine, terrorism)...ultimately in this situation it would be beneficial for one or many students to be able to get a hold of the outside world.

Just my 2 cents.

[Y3a]

Duct Tape - The Worlds BEST Babysitter.

[Chuckit]

I can't find any references to this on Google, and I haven't heard about it (living in San Diego myself). Are you sure it's legit? I honestly wouldn't be terribly shocked if it were true, but I can't find any corroborating evidence.

[PacHead]

Children are reflective of their parents.

Bad parents = bad kids, in most cases.

[Chuckit]

Holy ****, I just agreed with PacHead.

[greenamp]

This kind of stuff has always been happening, just maybe not as high-tech as was the case in this incident. Teenagers have always been sexualy curious and in some instances active ( I am not saying this is OK ). Just because you didn't see or hear about it happeneing when you where that age doesn't mean it wasn't going on.

Generational moral decline is a myth.

[Tenacious Dyl]

Basically, if your kids are taking pictures of each other doing these acts on the bus, it wouldn't be because you didn't read their 'blog'. You messed up much earlier. If you DID catch them in the act, and prevent this craziness, it is still too late, because in most cases the kid will resent being caught and just become more sneaky or more in need of the behavior (at least in responce to how most parents act).

I'm seeing each younger generation exposed and involved in more and more each year. Both more sexuality, and more activities, etc. Whether it is media, bad parenting, technology, etc.. each year it seems the kids all have a 'heavier weight' to them. The have more stress, more activities, more interaction, a greater range of interaction, more money, more belongings, etc etc. Are kids that masturbate over camera phones 'hurting' anything?

Not really, not until you bring 'values' or 'morals' into the issue, both of which vary immenesly from families, ethnicities, geographical location, religion, etc. All of us will say they are bad children who need to be punished, they will say it harms no one and it is fun. I guess both parties need to back up and realize those activities aren't 'acceptable' to the general public, and to learn to just cut it out, or at least on the busses and school grounds... That is definetly the LAST type of activity we need related to schools. We must remember, the children can't just be attacked and ripped apart over this, they just need tq move on from this behavior at school.

[greenamp]

I love how people form all these sophisticated social theories based around their own limited observations.

[Tenacious Dyl]

Look... maybe things aren't crazy or drastic... but you must see that children ARE involved in more activities than say, 40 years ago. You must also acknowledge that it is easier for younger generations to communicate, AIM, Blogging, Cell Phone Calls, Txt Messanging, etc. Just these two factors do shape children.

[LaGow]

Originally Posted by DarwinX

Parents. They need to be parents, not their children's "best friend."

Be involved in your kids life so you know what's happening, changing and how they're thinking/reacting. I'm not a parent, but that strikes me as common sense. Did I always agree with what my parents told me or wanted me to do? No. Does it appear now later on in life that they only had my best interest in mind, absolutely.

Ever tried to get a 13-year old boy to talk about his sex life? Hardy har har. Teenage boys talk in a series of grunts, at least to their parents. My wife and I are finding out about it through what he's telling his eight-year old younger brother.

[LaGow]

Originally Posted by greenamp

I love how people form all these sophisticated social theories based around their own limited observations.

Particularly if they are not parents themselves. I had all sorts of theories and promises about childrearing prior to actually having them. I think I've broken every single one of them at least once. Except the one about hitting them--but man, have I wanted to.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by LaGow

Ever tried to get a 13-year old boy to talk about his sex life? Hardy har har. Teenage boys talk in a series of grunts, at least to their parents. My wife and I are finding out about it through what he's telling his eight-year old younger brother.

Again, that varies from family to family. One of my old classmates had very open discussions with his parents about his sex life at age 13. I remember him going into the living room and interrupting his parents' 9-o'clock-news watching by asking if they had any condoms he could borrow, 'cause he was going over to his girlfriend's place the day after (he was sleeping over at my place). They didn't bat an eyelid between them; this was not an uncommon occurrence in their household.



Apart from the thing that TD mentioned about it not being okay that these kids were doing this on public buses and school grounds, I would definitely belong to the group of people who think this is no big deal. If they think it's fun to take cell phone pictures of each other jacking off (I'm guessing most of the kids involved were guys), I don't see much harm in it. At least they were smart enough to password-protect the site, and not get their faces in the pictures.

I will, for the sake of this thread, assume that the kids who were part of this were all in the later stages of middle school, i.e. 12-14 years old. I think it's pretty common knowledge that 12-14 year old boys are walking bundles of sexual curiosity and tension (not to mention fixation and obsession). Why is it that nearly everyone in this thread so far says that it is a Bad Thing™ per se that kids that age are experimenting sexually? As long as they know how to protect themselves (both against pregnancies and STD, and against other things), I don't see anything wrong with it.

We used to get married and have children at age 12 (well, mostly girls, but still); now we've reduced the early teenage years to an age of innocent childhood, with many people even saying that the slightest sexual experiments by anyone under 18 is the work of the Devil himself (not necessarily to be taken literally). Granted, uploading nudies of your classmates is a bit more than 'the slightest sexual experiments', but it's still fairly harmless.

</rant>

[OB1]

Kids these days, bunch of little wankers.

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by Oisín

Why is it that nearly everyone in this thread so far says that it is a Bad Thing™ per se that kids that age are experimenting sexually?

Because even though a 13-year-old body may be ready to handle a sexual relationship, a 13-year-old mind is several years away from that point at least.

[loki74]

Originally Posted by Millennium

Because even though a 13-year-old body may be ready to handle a sexual relationship, a 13-year-old mind is several years away from that point at least.

Well said.

I think it is disgusting that parents are losing rights with their children. They have the right to know if their kid was involved. There is no issue. Tell them the f*cking truth.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Millennium

Because even though a 13-year-old body may be ready to handle a sexual relationship, a 13-year-old mind is several years away from that point at least.

Is it? Probably around half of my class were sexually active to some degree at 13 (with each other mostly), and they didn't seem to have problems with it.

Besides, by being 'sexually active', I'm not necessarily talking about being a veritable Rocco Siffredi; just experimenting with it, trying once or twice (and then often deciding that you don't feel ready after all) is not a bad thing, IMHO; it's a good thing. And, unlike you, I believe that most 13-year-olds are both physically and mentally capable of handling that.

[LaGow]

Originally Posted by Oisín

Is it? Probably around half of my class were sexually active to some degree at 13 (with each other mostly), and they didn't seem to have problems with it.

Besides, by being 'sexually active', I'm not necessarily talking about being a veritable Rocco Siffredi; just experimenting with it, trying once or twice (and then often deciding that you don't feel ready after all) is not a bad thing, IMHO; it's a good thing. And, unlike you, I believe that most 13-year-olds are both physically and mentally capable of handling that.

Baloney. If someone isn't responsible enough to take out the garbage without being asked, how is that person going to be responsible enough to deal with a sexual relationship and all of its potential repercussions?

[LaGow]

Originally Posted by Oisín

Again, that varies from family to family. One of my old classmates had very open discussions with his parents about his sex life at age 13. I remember him going into the living room and interrupting his parents' 9-o'clock-news watching by asking if they had any condoms he could borrow, 'cause he was going over to his girlfriend's place the day after (he was sleeping over at my place). They didn't bat an eyelid between them; this was not an uncommon occurrence in their household.

This is most assuredly NOT the norm. How many parents of 13-year old boys do you talk to? Since I am the parent of a boy that age, I end up talking to quite a few, especially in my capacity as a scout leader. It's very, very difficult to get these kids to open up and be specific. They will often, if they talk at all, speak in generalities. The other parents and I shake our heads and laugh about it.

The weird thing is, the kids will very willingly talk about all sorts of interesting things if you don't happen to be related to them. I got filled in --in frightening detail--about the drugs that are happening at the high school from some of my older scouts at summer camp this year. A lot of kids, it seems, are walking the high school halls in fear. And this is in a wealthy suburban area.

But I digress. My wife and I have had very frank discussions about sex in general with our boy, but we have absolutely no idea what's going on with him sepcifically unless we hear something second hand from his kid brother. You have no idea of how annoying that is.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by LaGow

Ever tried to get a 13-year old boy to talk about his sex life? Hardy har har. Teenage boys talk in a series of grunts, at least to their parents. My wife and I are finding out about it through what he's telling his eight-year old younger brother.

It cannot be something you do once. You must MUST, MUST! constantly and continuously be a part of the teenager's life. You must let him or her know from VERY EARLY that honesty is valued-that includes being honest with him or her. And you must be willing to talk about subjects that make you squirm, such as your child being sexually involved, at ANY TIME, because they decide they want to talk on their own schedule, not yours. It is quite possible to talk to a 13 year old boy about his sex life-if you start talking about important and intimate things with him when he starts being able to grasp words...around the age of 18 months. Much later, and you're too late. Your kid won't be a kid forever, but you are his or her parent 24/7 for the duration. You MUST be involved when they're very young if you want to be involved at all later.

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by Oisín

IBesides, by being 'sexually active', I'm not necessarily talking about being a veritable Rocco Siffredi; just experimenting with it, trying once or twice (and then often deciding that you don't feel ready after all) is not a bad thing, IMHO; it's a good thing.

As if where were anything 'just' about sexual experimentation. Sexuality is at least a little different for everyone, but one of its few truly universal aspects is that it's a powerful psychological influence on people, for good or for ill (and sometimes both). To not take it seriously, treating it as some meaningless feel-good game, is proof enough that someone's not ready for it.

And, unlike you, I believe that most 13-year-olds are both physically and mentally capable of handling that.

By age 13, most 13-year-olds are still maturing in areas such as delaying gratification, attitudes towards both genders, higher reasoning, self-image, establishing bonds with nonfamily members, and such. Do you really think it's wise to drop a child with so many uncertainties into sexual situations? The scars this sort of thing leaves on a person's value systems are very real and very permanent, as evidence dby the fact that this whole thing is laughed off as 'normal' by adults who have been through this process even when their values have otherwise changed.

The fact is, nearly all 13-year-olds are still going through processes that really need to be finished before they can have much hope of adjusting well to sexual situations.

[LaGow]

Originally Posted by ghporter

It cannot be something you do once. You must MUST, MUST! constantly and continuously be a part of the teenager's life. You must let him or her know from VERY EARLY that honesty is valued-that includes being honest with him or her. And you must be willing to talk about subjects that make you squirm, such as your child being sexually involved, at ANY TIME, because they decide they want to talk on their own schedule, not yours. It is quite possible to talk to a 13 year old boy about his sex life-if you start talking about important and intimate things with him when he starts being able to grasp words...around the age of 18 months. Much later, and you're too late. Your kid won't be a kid forever, but you are his or her parent 24/7 for the duration. You MUST be involved when they're very young if you want to be involved at all later.

Cripes, can you be any more condescending? You make a lot of assumptions, based upon little or no information at all.

[Chuckit]

I wish getting laid too much had been my biggest problem when I was 13.

[ism]

Hell yeah, girls were NOT like this when I was I kid (Crikey, they still aren't now). I'm jealous, I want my childhood refunded.

[ism]

Originally Posted by OB1

Kids these days, bunch of little wankers.

Nice one...

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by LaGow

Cripes, can you be any more condescending? You make a lot of assumptions, based upon little or no information at all.

I have spent over 20 years supervising people who spend too much time at work and not enough time with their kids, and then complain about how they misbehave; it is a very strong habit to be emphatic when discussing child development. I stand behind what I said, though it was not intended to be at all condescending. Being able to discuss things with your teen means having taken the considerable time necessary to build a good relationship (NOT a "friend" relationship) with him or her, that's all.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Millennium

As if where were anything 'just' about sexual experimentation. Sexuality is at least a little different for everyone, but one of its few truly universal aspects is that it's a powerful psychological influence on people, for good or for ill (and sometimes both). To not take it seriously, treating it as some meaningless feel-good game, is proof enough that someone's not ready for it.

I disagree completely. I think taking it too seriously is more proof that you're not ready for it. I agree that sexuality is a powerful psychological influence on people, good or bad; unlike you, however, I still think that 'just' is exactly what sexual experimentation (on this level, obviously; I'm not talking about hardcore S/M, but pushing the boundaries slowly by daring to put your hand under the girls' blouse, etc.) is all about. Take it too seriously, and it'll end up controlling you, or intimidating you into never taking it at all. The best way, I believe, is to be well-informed (both through parents and school) about it, and then not taking it as too big a deal.

By age 13, most 13-year-olds are still maturing in areas such as delaying gratification, attitudes towards both genders, higher reasoning, self-image, establishing bonds with nonfamily members, and such.

So are many people in their 20's, 30's, etc. These are all areas that continue to change and (d)evolve throughout life.

Do you really think it's wise to drop a child with so many uncertainties into sexual situations?

Yes. Well, no, not 'drop' the child into a sexual situation. But also not tell the child (I hesitate to use the term 'child' about a 13-year-old, by the way, kid would be better, I think) that, should he find himself in one, he must back out and avoid it untill he's older. Letting him know that it's up to him to use his own judgement—if he feels he's ready to let that sexual situation continue, for better or for worse, do it; if he feels uncertain about it, back away—is the only way to go, in my eyes.

The scars this sort of thing leaves on a person's value systems are very real and very permanent, as evidenced by the fact that this whole thing is laughed off as 'normal' by adults who have been through this process even when their values have otherwise changed.

Sorry, that was a bit confusing: which process do you mean? And which values had otherwise changed?

The fact is, nearly all 13-year-olds are still going through processes that really need to be finished before they can have much hope of adjusting well to sexual situations.

Perhaps; but the fact is also that most 13-year-olds who still need to go through various processes before they can come to terms with a sexual situation will most likely be more or less aware of this, and a sexual situation will make them feel uncomfortable.

I'm not saying children should be taught that the sooner they get on that merry-go-round and starting screwing around (literally), the better. I just think they should be taught that if they find themselves in a sexual situation and feel that they can adjust to and come to terms with this situation, it's okay for them to let it go further; that they should only pull the plug on it when they don't feel comfortable with it any longer.

[ghporter]

Oisín, you and Millenium are probably conflicting because of cultural differences. Danes raise kids in a different environment than Americans. There is a HUGE controversy here about how much sex education to provide kids, yet as I understand it, Danish schools provide a good, solid, (and non-behavior-inducing) foundation that parents work from. Here there are a vast number of idiot parents who think talking about sex to their kids will MAKE THEM START THINKING ABOUT SEX! They seem to totally forget that they themselves were thinking about sex at that age-and probably earlier. And most other parents are too ignorant (that's all, just unlearned) to be able to deal with teaching their kids much themselves. Face it, we Americans are a screwed up bunch when it comes to sex, and it is no better demonstrated than by our idiotic, agenda-driven, kid-damaging attitudes about sex education.

If we taught our kids from their earliest ages that their bodies are OK things, not dirty and evil; if we taught them how their bodies worked in age-appropriate terms and to an age-appropriate depth; if we actually thought about the kinds of situations our kids were going to be in that could lead to sexual behavior, and prepared them for those situations; we would see far fewer kids messed up mentally and physically because their parents didn't do anything right in teaching them about maturing and sexuality.

It is POSSIBLE to do this, but it has to start from the begining with honesty and intelligence, and unfortunately most parents are at least two generations away from knowing enough themselves to teach their kids about biology, emotional growth, and the social environment their kids will have to deal with.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by ghporter

If we taught our kids from their earliest ages that their bodies are OK things, not dirty and evil; if we taught them how their bodies worked in age-appropriate terms and to an age-appropriate depth; if we actually thought about the kinds of situations our kids were going to be in that could lead to sexual behavior, and prepared them for those situations; we would see far fewer kids messed up mentally and physically because their parents didn't do anything right in teaching them about maturing and sexuality.

Exactly.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Middle school is grade 6-8, and the kids are 11-14.

I don't really understand how this activity could be taking place, especially in middle school and especially on the middle school bus. I would have thought middle school would be the least likely place in which students would engage in such behavior. It has to be a wealthier district for the parents to be inclined to give their kids camera phones, which does not make much sense either. Finally, I don't see how the school could deny valid requests from parents for information based on confidentially claims. There could be no confidentiality obligation to students that would override the right of their parents to limited information on the incidents.

dont surprise me, i think back to when i was 14 and remmeber the stuff I did. Think most ppl that are shocked have forgotten there teen years.

[ApplCmptrDood]

Hey, being a teenager myself, and I really can't believe that teenagers would take pictures of themselves doing that sort of thing! I have reached puberty, but I ain't like that, that's for sure. I think the other reason that kids are like this, is because of the media, and placing scantily clad people in magazines, on TV, to make kids curious about the opposite gender, and sex itself!

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by ApplCmptrDood

Hey, being a teenager myself, and I really can't believe that teenagers would take pictures of themselves doing that sort of thing! I have reached puberty, but I ain't like that, that's for sure. I think the other reason that kids are like this, is because of the media, and placing scantily clad people in magazines, on TV, to make kids curious about the opposite gender, and sex itself!

No. Kids are curious about the opposite (or same) gender, and about sex itself, whathever the media might do to en- or discourage it. There's something mixed up with their hormones if they're not.

It shouldn't be necessary (but probably is in this place) to mention that being curious about sex is not the same thing as taking pictures of your classmates jacking off on the school bus and posting it on the Internet.

[nredman]

thats a sad story - i blame the parents