Re: The Intimate 5th/6th Graders
Mr. X - I know I wasn't. I know that kids mature at different ages and under law there are different guideline.
The reason I use 18 is because that is legally an adult. I am not discounting the responsibility of a teen doing a provacative dance or dressing a certain way, but it is still a child doing that. They had to walk in front of their parents that way or a teacher or some adult that didn't say a word, even to say, that's not appropriate. So the adults are the ones that should be criticized not the kids in that instance.
My problem is reading that a child "deserves" what they get doing those things. No, they don't. period. Lecture, yes, fine. Being hit on by dirty old men and groped, no, adults don't even deserve that treatment. I should be able to walk down a street naked without one person touching me inappropriately. Realistically, that is Utopia, but you get my drift, right?
I am not saying blame the parents for everything, but seriously, when you watch your kid leave the house in inappropriate clothing or don't monitor the friends they have or what they do and something real bad happens - is that the fault of the parents or the child? Parents are responsible for character development and the application of guilt ( :) ) so a child doing something wrong at least knows it.
Slightly off topic here, you know what I find ironically amusing. A person under the age of 18 cannot sign a contract or if they do it is void, but a child of 15/16 (13 where?) can consent to sex. Now, I wonder, who does that benefit?