By Rhonda Ramsey,
P.O.V. Contributing Writer
In Colorado, a first grader
named D’ Avonte Meadows was suspended for three days. Why? Sexual harassment, because he sang the
LMFAO song “I’m Sexy And I know It” to a little girl while standing in the
school lunch line.
Six-year-old Meadow’s
mother believes the suspension has nothing
to do with sexual harassment. She believes the punishment is unfair, just
as she believes it was unfair for D’Avonte to be suspended over doing a “booty
shake” in front of the same little girl’s face.
D‘Avonte‘s mother,
Stephanie Meadows says, “I could understand if he was fondling her, looking up
her skirt, trying to look in her shirt. That, to me, is sexual harassment."
She also adds, "I'm
just, I'm floored. They're going to look at him like he's a pervert. And it's
like, that’s not fair to him."
When I was in elementary
school, I am pretty sure this type of behavior would have been corrected, but I
am almost certain it would not have been grounds for suspension. It seems that as time goes on, schools are
really cracking down, and children as young as six are learning hard lessons
about what is and isn’t appropriate.
When I think of suspension,
song lyrics do not pop into my mind -- even if I imagine myself the parent of
the little girl D’Avonte “serenaded”. I understand the need for discipline, but
I also think children are ... well ... they’re
children. They’re kids. Is there any other way to teach them about
inappropriate and appropriate without suspension?
Maybe there is a reason why
I am not a teacher. Are my ideals a bit lenient? Or is suspension over song
lyrics, “booty shaking" or the other countless reasons for sending first
graders home reasonable punishment?
What do you think of this
story? What do you think of similar stories? Is cracking down a good thing, or
is it getting out of hand?
Source:
6-Year-Old Colo. Boy Suspended For Alleged Sexual Harassment For Quoting LMFAO Lyrics, 'Sexy And I Know It' (VIDEO)
Source:
6-Year-Old Colo. Boy Suspended For Alleged Sexual Harassment For Quoting LMFAO Lyrics, 'Sexy And I Know It' (VIDEO)
good gawd!!! Are we getting too PC? Goodness the child is only 6. Really I think about the stupid stuff that the boys did when I was little years and years ago. But we allow this music.... but if a child sings it; it is what? sexual harassment? Mixed signals that what we have...........
ReplyDeleteI was wonderng - okay - so should I compare what I said and did and experienced to this stuff kids are harshly punished over? Because when I do, I think its ridiculous. I guess I see what they are tryyying to do, (make an example, instill respectful behavior..) - but I wonder if an adult can punish a child in a way other than sending him home for several days. Ahem.
DeleteIf I'm correct in what I read in an another article, the main reason he was sent home was because the little girl asked him to stop numerous times and he continued putting his behind in her face. Plus, the fact he wouldn't listen to the teacher was an open defiance. Sometimes you have to pay the price for being a class clown. I don't know if it should have been labeled sexual harassment, but schools have their rules. Better he learns to behave now than when he's older and of jail age. Especially when he will grow up to be a Black man. laws are hard.
ReplyDeleteWow. Good point. Thanks so much for your point of view and comment.
ReplyDeleteDo you think there was any other way he could learn? I'm hoping that if he is at home, he is not in front of the television absorbing more than a child would know what to do with, you know? Schools aren't to blame for kids who are not being respectful, but maybe there are special classes where these babies can get extra focus on how to conduct themselves? Just a thought.
What do you think?
Great article. I do believe things are going too far with little children like this. The people putting the commercials like that on t.v. that appeal to children seem to push the edge, knowing children are watching and will copycat these things.
ReplyDeleteHowever, depending on each individual situation, if the boy was doing something inappropriate (like "shaking booty in her face" or ignoring the teacher and the other child when asked to stop) then an appropriate punishment should be applied.
I agree.
DeleteThank so much for reading and commenting, Julie :-)
Okay, so he heard the song. I remember (yes, I'm dating myself) Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" in 3rd grade. I knew that as fun as it was to sing, it wasn't something I was supposed to sing to someone, I knew it was an adult risqué song. No we can't shelter our kids from everything popular, but shouldn't there be teachable moments when children come into contact with inappropriate things like violence, sex, drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc.?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Good point. The television, radio and movies are always going to be huge influences in kids'lives...
ReplyDeleteI remember my mother taking television shows, and seriously using them to instill values. Asking questions, making it clear that there are ways to behave and discussing whether or not the television show was something to emulate...