Kids, Porn, Selling Sex

On Friday several 4th and 5th graders at my school were suspended when they were caught after school watching porn on a PSP.  That means 9, 10, and 11 year-olds.  One of the boys had downloaded porn onto his flashdrive and was charging other kids a buck a pop to download it onto their PSPs.

Parents were called in.  There were tears, anger, recrimination.  A lot of confused boys, boys who are on the verge of being more than just boys.

I in no way want to excuse the kids’ actions.  Or the school’s. Or the parents’.

BUT:

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

She may be 21 now, but when she first entered the porn industry and began receiving awards, she was only 18.

She doesn’t look that much older than many of the 5th graders at my school: 11 and 12 year-olds.  I don’t know if it’s the hormones in milk or what, but 5th graders at my school are all curves.  On top of that they try to look older. They try to look like models.

Models are 13 and sometimes even younger.  They’re often kids trying to look sexy.

Sex sells.  That’s a given.

Kids buy it.  That’s also a given.  They imitate and respond to models.

Modeling is also a form of teaching.  All day long I ask them to learn from what I model.   Responding to modeling is their job.

And responding to models.

But not responding to sex?  (Just when their hormones are kicking in?)

Come on, let’s be real.  All these mixed messages are very confusing.

Is it really the kids’ job to sort out what’s right and what’s wrong here?

Or are we adults just passing the buck?

Share on Facebook