Sex and the Student

"I don't know where you draw the line. It just has to be done in such a way that people are using common sense." Archie McAfee, executive director, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals

Whoa. Wait a minute. Charging a 7-year-old with sexual harassment is common sense? Because he told a girl he could see her bra strap? I know where you draw the line about sexual harassment, Mr. McAfee: at children.

That seems to have been overlooked in all the "politically correct" brouhaha about the bra strap incident. There can't be sexual harassment when there is no understanding of sexuality.

Let's inject some sanity into this debate, please. How many 7-year-olds do you know who are sexually active?

Boys that age barely notice girls at all, much less in a sexual way. If they do, responsible adults should view it as a possible sign of trouble. Find out if the child is being abused himself. Give him help and guidance, not boot him out of school.

And if he's not being abused, that boy's comment on a bra strap resulted from one of two things: either he's got an older sister or he was put up to it by an older classmate.

Yes it was rude, but that's what 7-year-olds do best. It's up to the schools to teach them proper conduct, not to charge them with sexual harassment. Which is beyond idiotic.

What's wrong with those people?

In all their overkill, those schools are losing a valuable opportunity -- not to punish but to inform. In fact all schools that grossly overreact to innocent childhood behavior are doing the kids and society a grave disservice.

They're supposed to be educators. Yet they mistook a childish prank for the behavior of a sexual predator.

How will those children ever learn about "good touch, bad touch" if their own schools and teachers don't know the difference?