You call this a Sexual Predator???

Hornsby

I don't have to find something offensive to know that it breaks the rules. You just happen to think it doesn't, and I happen to think it does. It's not a big deal really.

That's one of the most ridiculous statements I have ever read on these message boards. They really should award you a prize, because that takes serious talent.

Not sure how that's ridiculous, but I'll take a prize any time.

ARDuBaie

Okay, I am antique. Maybe just old. I'm 57 and I don't remember anyone holding hands in school until around 8th grade. The world has changed quite a bit. Sexually explicit scenes are in television shows, magazine ads, movies, and video games. Everything is about sex. Sex sales. Children are exposed to sex from a very early age. They are also exposed to the idea that you aren't anyone unless you have a special someone. Why would we not expect this kind of behavior from children these days?

I am not a prude, but children are not able to control their impulses. Exposing children to sexual material and the idea of needing to have a special someone doesn't help when it comes to impulses. They see mommy kissing daddy and know that is what you do when you love someone, but they don't know the difference between loving someone as a best friend and loving someone as a lover. Both are seen as the same thing and this boy acted upon that belief. He treated this girl as his lover, because he doesn't know better.

I have seen the same behavior in adolescents. They have sex with those that they see as friends, because they are confused about when and with who you should have sex. They equate sex with love, believing that the person they are having sex with loves them, when that may be far from the truth.

I hate to say it, but this free license that media has in regard to sex and other such matters is not conducive to what I would call 'proper' behavior. What are schools suppose to do? Parents don't want schools teaching about these matters, but they don't take matters into their own hands and limit expose to adult material and ideas as well as discuss such things with their children.

DamePiglet

Okay, I am antique. Maybe just old. I'm 57 and I don't remember anyone holding hands in school until around 8th grade. The world has changed quite a bit. Sexually explicit scenes are in television shows, magazine ads, movies, and video games. Everything is about sex. Sex sales. Children are exposed to sex from a very early age. They are also exposed to the idea that you aren't anyone unless you have a special someone. Why would we not expect this kind of behavior from children these days?

I am not a prude, but children are not able to control their impulses. Exposing children to sexual material and the idea of needing to have a special someone doesn't help when it comes to impulses. They see mommy kissing daddy and know that is what you do when you love someone, but they don't know the difference between loving someone as a best friend and loving someone as a lover. Both are seen as the same thing and this boy acted upon that belief. He treated this girl as his lover, because he doesn't know better.

I have seen the same behavior in adolescents. They have sex with those that they see as friends, because they are confused about when and with who you should have sex. They equate sex with love, believing that the person they are having sex with loves them, when that may be far from the truth.

I hate to say it, but this free license that media has in regard to sex and other such matters is not conducive to what I would call 'proper' behavior. What are schools suppose to do? Parents don't want schools teaching about these matters, but they don't take matters into their own hands and limit expose to adult material and ideas as well as discuss such things with their children.

Maybe schools should punish disruptive behavior accordingly and not hang harmful labels like "sexual harassment" on little children.

I was kissed on the cheek every day of kindergarten by 2 boys. That would have put the date at about 1973 or so, since I'm now 45 years old.
Neither boy was a sex offender. Now or ever. They're both productive members of society.
So am I.

rml_16

Okay, I am antique. Maybe just old. I'm 57 and I don't remember anyone holding hands in school until around 8th grade. The world has changed quite a bit. Sexually explicit scenes are in television shows, magazine ads, movies, and video games. Everything is about sex. Sex sales. Children are exposed to sex from a very early age. They are also exposed to the idea that you aren't anyone unless you have a special someone. Why would we not expect this kind of behavior from children these days?

I am not a prude, but children are not able to control their impulses. Exposing children to sexual material and the idea of needing to have a special someone doesn't help when it comes to impulses. They see mommy kissing daddy and know that is what you do when you love someone, but they don't know the difference between loving someone as a best friend and loving someone as a lover. Both are seen as the same thing and this boy acted upon that belief. He treated this girl as his lover, because he doesn't know better.

I have seen the same behavior in adolescents. They have sex with those that they see as friends, because they are confused about when and with who you should have sex. They equate sex with love, believing that the person they are having sex with loves them, when that may be far from the truth.

I hate to say it, but this free license that media has in regard to sex and other such matters is not conducive to what I would call 'proper' behavior. What are schools suppose to do? Parents don't want schools teaching about these matters, but they don't take matters into their own hands and limit expose to adult material and ideas as well as discuss such things with their children.

Maybe schools should punish disruptive behavior accordingly and not hang harmful labels like "sexual harassment" on little children.

I was kissed on the cheek every day of kindergarten by 2 boys. That would have put the date at about 1973 or so, since I'm now 45 years old.
Neither boy was a sex offender. Now or ever. They're both productive members of society.
So am I.

I was kissing boys when I was 2 in 1978-1979. They aren't predators, either.

One of them -- my very first "boyfriend" -- is still a friend of mine.

BrandNewMeBy30

The school responded and stated that he was not suspended for the kiss, I guess he was bothering her a lot which led up to suspension. if that is the case then I understand if he continually bothered her, on the other hand if it was just the kiss on a hand.. that is just way too much for me! the school overreacted

rml_16

The school responded and stated that he was not suspended for the kiss, I guess he was bothering her a lot which led up to suspension. if that is the case then I understand if he continually bothered her, on the other hand if it was just the kiss on a hand.. that is just way too much for me! the school overreacted

It seems like suspension isn't the appropriate reaction to this, though. I mean, he's 6. What is it teaching him? Kiss a girl and you don't have to go to school? Is it really a punishment? Or one he understands?

Obviously, if he's bothering the little girl and being disruptive, they have to address that, but suspending a 6-year-old doesn't seem like an effective means of doing so.

ARDuBaie

Okay, I am antique. Maybe just old. I'm 57 and I don't remember anyone holding hands in school until around 8th grade. The world has changed quite a bit. Sexually explicit scenes are in television shows, magazine ads, movies, and video games. Everything is about sex. Sex sales. Children are exposed to sex from a very early age. They are also exposed to the idea that you aren't anyone unless you have a special someone. Why would we not expect this kind of behavior from children these days?

I am not a prude, but children are not able to control their impulses. Exposing children to sexual material and the idea of needing to have a special someone doesn't help when it comes to impulses. They see mommy kissing daddy and know that is what you do when you love someone, but they don't know the difference between loving someone as a best friend and loving someone as a lover. Both are seen as the same thing and this boy acted upon that belief. He treated this girl as his lover, because he doesn't know better.

I have seen the same behavior in adolescents. They have sex with those that they see as friends, because they are confused about when and with who you should have sex. They equate sex with love, believing that the person they are having sex with loves them, when that may be far from the truth.

I hate to say it, but this free license that media has in regard to sex and other such matters is not conducive to what I would call 'proper' behavior. What are schools suppose to do? Parents don't want schools teaching about these matters, but they don't take matters into their own hands and limit expose to adult material and ideas as well as discuss such things with their children.

Maybe schools should punish disruptive behavior accordingly and not hang harmful labels like "sexual harassment" on little children.

I was kissed on the cheek every day of kindergarten by 2 boys. That would have put the date at about 1973 or so, since I'm now 45 years old.
Neither boy was a sex offender. Now or ever. They're both productive members of society.
So am I.

I was kissing boys when I was 2 in 1978-1979. They aren't predators, either.

One of them -- my very first "boyfriend" -- is still a friend of mine.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it just wasn't as prevalent as it is these days. The 70s, by the way, where the hippie days, with free sex and all. Ozzie and Harriet were in the same bed by that time. I grew up with Ozzie and Harriet in separate beds.

Eleonora91

I can't understand why some of you are considering a boy who kissed a girl at the age of 6 "strong-willed" or following a "normal development". I really hope it's not a symphtom of sexual deviance and I'm pretty sure there's no evidence to say so, but I wouldn't surely like MY son to kiss girls at the age of 6, when he doesn't even know what kissing means. He's just copying something he must have seen somewhere else, because I really doubt he can connect kissing with affection for a little girl, and on second though, did anyone question if the girl got embarassed or not? If a boy had kissed me when I was 6 I would. I'm not saying I would have suffered PTSD but I wouldn't have liked someone to kiss me as much as I didn't like it when kids were pulling my hair, because I didn't know how to respond since I was a child and I didn't know what violence or love were.

DamePiglet

The school responded and stated that he was not suspended for the kiss, I guess he was bothering her a lot which led up to suspension. if that is the case then I understand if he continually bothered her, on the other hand if it was just the kiss on a hand.. that is just way too much for me! the school overreacted

It seems like suspension isn't the appropriate reaction to this, though. I mean, he's 6. What is it teaching him? Kiss a girl and you don't have to go to school? Is it really a punishment? Or one he understands?

Obviously, if he's bothering the little girl and being disruptive, they have to address that, but suspending a 6-year-old doesn't seem like an effective means of doing so.

yep.
I'd say make him stay inside for recesses, but now that the kids don't get to actually run and play (at least not in the schools around here. They are only allowed to sit or stand in a small area outside), even that isn't really taking much away.

UsedToBeHusky

The school responded and stated that he was not suspended for the kiss, I guess he was bothering her a lot which led up to suspension. if that is the case then I understand if he continually bothered her, on the other hand if it was just the kiss on a hand.. that is just way too much for me! the school overreacted

It seems like suspension isn't the appropriate reaction to this, though. I mean, he's 6. What is it teaching him? Kiss a girl and you don't have to go to school? Is it really a punishment? Or one he understands?

Obviously, if he's bothering the little girl and being disruptive, they have to address that, but suspending a 6-year-old doesn't seem like an effective means of doing so.

Well honestly, it really doesn't matter what the charge. Most school systems suspend kids on the second offense for any and all behavior. The administrators do get some discretion, but very few will stray from protocol because "if they do it for one..."

sixout

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/us/six-year-old-kissing-girl-suspension/index.html

Jade Masters-Ownbey, the mother of the girl Hunter is accused of kissing, told the local newspaper that the school district was right in protecting her daughter.
The mother, who is also a teacher in the school district, said Hunter had tried to kiss her daughter "over and over" without her permission, according to Canon City Daily Record.
"I've had to coach her about what to do when you don't want someone touching you, but they won't stop," Masters-Ownbey told the newspaper.

DamePiglet

Okay, I am antique. Maybe just old. I'm 57 and I don't remember anyone holding hands in school until around 8th grade. The world has changed quite a bit. Sexually explicit scenes are in television shows, magazine ads, movies, and video games. Everything is about sex. Sex sales. Children are exposed to sex from a very early age. They are also exposed to the idea that you aren't anyone unless you have a special someone. Why would we not expect this kind of behavior from children these days?

I am not a prude, but children are not able to control their impulses. Exposing children to sexual material and the idea of needing to have a special someone doesn't help when it comes to impulses. They see mommy kissing daddy and know that is what you do when you love someone, but they don't know the difference between loving someone as a best friend and loving someone as a lover. Both are seen as the same thing and this boy acted upon that belief. He treated this girl as his lover, because he doesn't know better.

I have seen the same behavior in adolescents. They have sex with those that they see as friends, because they are confused about when and with who you should have sex. They equate sex with love, believing that the person they are having sex with loves them, when that may be far from the truth.

I hate to say it, but this free license that media has in regard to sex and other such matters is not conducive to what I would call 'proper' behavior. What are schools suppose to do? Parents don't want schools teaching about these matters, but they don't take matters into their own hands and limit expose to adult material and ideas as well as discuss such things with their children.

Maybe schools should punish disruptive behavior accordingly and not hang harmful labels like "sexual harassment" on little children.

I was kissed on the cheek every day of kindergarten by 2 boys. That would have put the date at about 1973 or so, since I'm now 45 years old.
Neither boy was a sex offender. Now or ever. They're both productive members of society.
So am I.

I was kissing boys when I was 2 in 1978-1979. They aren't predators, either.

One of them -- my very first "boyfriend" -- is still a friend of mine.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, it just wasn't as prevalent as it is these days. The 70s, by the way, where the hippie days, with free sex and all. Ozzie and Harriet were in the same bed by that time. I grew up with Ozzie and Harriet in separate beds.

It wasn't "free sex" where I lived... not that I'd have even comprehended that at 6 years old.
When I was 6, I wouldn't have cared what bed(s) Ozzie & Harriet slept in. I watched cartoons. I WAS 6!!

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

DamePiglet

The school responded and stated that he was not suspended for the kiss, I guess he was bothering her a lot which led up to suspension. if that is the case then I understand if he continually bothered her, on the other hand if it was just the kiss on a hand.. that is just way too much for me! the school overreacted

It seems like suspension isn't the appropriate reaction to this, though. I mean, he's 6. What is it teaching him? Kiss a girl and you don't have to go to school? Is it really a punishment? Or one he understands?

Obviously, if he's bothering the little girl and being disruptive, they have to address that, but suspending a 6-year-old doesn't seem like an effective means of doing so.

Well honestly, it really doesn't matter what the charge. Most school systems suspend kids on the second offense for any and all behavior. The administrators do get some discretion, but very few will stray from protocol because "if they do it for one..."

It's less the punishment, but more the stigma of "sexual harassment"

Hornsby

http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/us/six-year-old-kissing-girl-suspension/index.html

Jade Masters-Ownbey, the mother of the girl Hunter is accused of kissing, told the local newspaper that the school district was right in protecting her daughter.
The mother, who is also a teacher in the school district, said Hunter had tried to kiss her daughter "over and over" without her permission, according to Canon City Daily Record.
"I've had to coach her about what to do when you don't want someone touching you, but they won't stop," Masters-Ownbey told the newspaper.

Nice find.

So basically, the kid should have been punished, but not labeled a "sexual" anything....that's what I am taking away from all this.

rml_16

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

sixout

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

mmedjjon

If he thought there wasn't anything wrong with the kiss, why did he sneak it?

DamePiglet

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

My opinion doesn't. Not one bit.

sixout

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

My opinion doesn't. Not one bit.

Who cares that it might bother the little girl then, I guess.

rml_16

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

My opinion doesn't. Not one bit.

That there should have been some kind of discipline? Sure.

But not that he should be suspended and labeled a sexual harrasser. I still say that's overkill and the wrong approach.

sixout

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

My opinion doesn't. Not one bit.

That there should have been some kind of discipline? Sure.

But not that he should be suspended and labeled a sexual harrasser. I still say that's overkill and the wrong approach.

He had already been disciplined before, it states. Even suspended for the same thing. At some point a line has to be drawn. I think at this point it comes down to the mom. She tried to say the little girl wanted it, and her son wasn't in the wrong. Apparently that's not the case.

DamePiglet

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

My opinion doesn't. Not one bit.

Who cares that it might bother the little girl then, I guess.

I've said all along that he should have been disciplined, just not had the "sexual harassment" tag on it. Not once did I ever say that he should have been given a free pass to misbehave.

Canuname

First and foremost it is only harassment if the person being effected thinks it is harassment.
Second a kiss on the cheek or hand is not sexual in nature at 6 years of age.
The only person in this case that was affected was the teacher, because other kids said what happened and the teacher had to deal with it and choose to go all Rambo on the poor kid. If the girl didn't mind and didn't say anything then nothing should have been done at all. On the other hand if the girl was asked if there was a problem with the kiss then yes something needs to be done but still to say sexual harassment is way overboard.

The school should have used this as an opportunity to teach the kids about acceptable ways to show affection.

sixout

http://news.msn.com/us/girls-mother-praises-boys-kissing-suspension

Masters-Ownbey stated her daughter's older brother has felt like he needed to protect her at school.

Sounds like it's harassment to me.

Also, the harassment was identified as sexual on a school record that will mean nothing in this kid's life in the long run.

sixout

First and foremost it is only harassment if the person being effected thinks it is harassment.
Second a kiss on the cheek or hand is not sexual in nature at 6 years of age.
The only person in this case that was affected was the teacher, because other kids said what happened and the teacher had to deal with it and choose to go all Rambo on the poor kid. If the girl didn't mind and didn't say anything then nothing should have been done at all. On the other hand if the girl was asked if there was a problem with the kiss then yes something needs to be done but still to say sexual harassment is way overboard.

The school should have used this as an opportunity to teach the kids about acceptable ways to show affection.

Read the articles. The girl did mind, and told him to stop. The mother of the girl tried to get him to stop, he'd been suspended for it before, and the little girl's older brother felt like he had to protect her at school because of this stuff.

PennyM140

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

My opinion doesn't. Not one bit.

Who cares that it might bother the little girl then, I guess.

I think the point is that the "offence" does not need to be labeled sexual in any way. I see no problem with the boy being disciplined for being disruptive but honestly, that little girl is not traumatized in any way because someone kissed her on the hand.

DamePiglet

http://news.msn.com/us/girls-mother-praises-boys-kissing-suspension

Masters-Ownbey stated her daughter's older brother has felt like he needed to protect her at school.

Sounds like it's harassment to me.

Also, the harassment was identified as sexual on a school record that will mean nothing in this kid's life in the long run.

It's not true that being identified as a sex offender on a school record will mean nothing.
He may be disqualified for scholarships or admission into programs based on that. Academics have become very competitive.

kjg1965297

This is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are going to pass rules here that there will be no touching at all recesses. TV and computers etc are turning our children into social rejects. The school should teach this boy why it is not allowed instead of suspending him. Suspensions do not work as they reward a kid for doing something wrong. If society has become so paranoid that a little boy can't kiss a girl on the hand. WTF! I believe that my generation we did much worse with playing and I don't believe we are all predators. This belief kids are so much more informed I'd say BS. We have spent so many years analyzing and studying kids as parents we have gone nuts. Most people won't let kids 8 or 9 walk on a sidewalk by themselves. There are no more predators today than in the past, its because of our world wide instant access to information and we are knowing more and becoming paranoid. Shows like criminal minds, real life drama that feeds our paranoia. If the world becomes a place where a little boy or girl can't hold hands we have much larger problems. Relax and let kids be kids and stop reading into innocent acts as sexual in nature. The kids don't have the problem us parents do. take a visit to a grade 7 or 8 graduation and all the girls and boys kissing and hugging each other. Maybe we should throw them all in jail.

sunnshhiine

reported...

offended much?

Not even a little. Just don't want to have to deal with the 2 pages of political banter now that someone posted something that will do nothing but provoke people who disagree to respond.

I mean, there are other things to read.

THIS ^^^ if you don't want to deal with political banter, get off the internet and become a hermit.

sixout

I'm sorry, but did parents not teach their children to give kisses as babies back then?
I was taught to give those drooly, open mouth kisses as a baby. I taught my kids to give them. I expect my grandkids will give them.

Exactly. Most parents kiss their children as a sign of affection and kids learn kissing means you like or love someone. Or it's a way to express it.

I remember dating someone who was horrified by parents kissing their children (close-mouthed, of course) on the lips, even when they were really little. It's jaded adults who put stigmas on things like that.

Do your opinions change now that the mother of the girl said that they were unwanted?

My opinion doesn't. Not one bit.

Who cares that it might bother the little girl then, I guess.

I think the point is that the "offence" does not need to be labeled sexual in any way. I see no problem with the boy being disciplined for being disruptive but honestly, that little girl is not traumatized in any way because someone kissed her on the hand.

Sexual harassment doesn't mean making sexual advances in every case. It also means harassment based on someone's sex. Trying to kiss her over and over again (more than just on the hand, since everyone seems to think that's all he did) happened because she's a girl he liked. By definition, it is sexual harassment.

It won't be something that hangs over his head for life. But at the same time, that little girl very well may be traumatized by a boy kissing on her over and over, day after day.