Stick Out Tongue, Get Suspended
More stupid cases like this one will soon make sexual harassment seem like no big thang.
[A] 12-year-old Magoffin Middle School student, said he stuck his tongue out at a girl who declined his invitation to be his girlfriend. School district administrators viewed the incident as sexual harassment, suspended him for three days and are considering placing him in an alternative school
Oh Lord save us, a 12-year-old boy stuck out his tongue at a female classmate.
"The teacher said he stuck his tongue out and moved it back and forth and waved at her like you were patting someone on the back and that that constitutes sexual harassment," Salvador Santana said. "She said the girl was upset and scared."
Okay, she was upset and scared. So talk to the boy and tell him not to do it again. But suspension?
The district's student code of conduct states that "sexual harassment of a student by another student includes unwanted and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, whether by word, gesture or any other sexual conduct, including requests for sexual favors."
I didn't know that 12-year-olds sticking their tongue out now constituted physical conduct of a sexual nature. I thought it was just bratty and immature, connoting "Well, phooey on you then."
What a damn world. What next? A child who says "This sucks" getting suspended for sexual harassment?
Comments
I'm still trying to figure out what tongue-waggling with a faux pat on the back is supposed to symbolize... I can think of plenty of other accompanying gestures he could have made if he wanted to be sexual.
Posted by: andy | April 8, 2003 07:22 PM
I think the school board of El Paso lead a very sheltered life...
Posted by: Lesley | April 8, 2003 07:35 PM
I do that all the time, not to 12 year old girls but...
Posted by: Rick DeMent | April 8, 2003 07:55 PM
That's what happens when we open the Pandora's Box of allowing governments to intrude into every nook and cranny of our private lives. That district's student code of conduct is so vague, with the exception of "including requests for sexual favors", that it can cover anything the school wants. I remember that these kinds of incidents would involve the girl speaking to her parents who would speak to the boy's parents who, in turn, would wash the brat's mouth out with soap and water. I'm not even sure that this incident merited more than the girl telling him to "go soak his head". What happened to people being able to take care of themselves?
Posted by: SS | April 9, 2003 09:43 AM
Damn, and to think the whole time I was reading 'Peanuts' comments where Charlie Brown would say, "Nyahh nyahh" to Lucy he was sexually harassing that poor girl.
Posted by: Jay Caruso | April 9, 2003 09:58 AM
Lesley, you hit the nail on the head. My son got in trouble a couple of years ago in middle school for saying "This sucks". His substitute teacher had a fit. She said "That's inappropriate language! You're getting a team referral!" (sort of a nastigram to the administrators). He looked at her, bewildered, and said "What's inappropriate language?" She said "That thing you just said!" "You mean, 'This sucks'?" "YOU SAID IT AGAIN!" she replied. "Now you're going to the office." Well, several kids in the class objected and made a huge debate over whether "sucks" was a bad word. The teacher ended up calling the vice-principle to the class to restore order. When he found out what the matter was, he took the "troublemakers" (my son included) out into the hall and proceeded to crack up laughing!!! Then he told them to calm down and stop disrupting the class and asked them to give the sub a break!! Then he sent them back in. Good thing at least somebody in that place had some common sense!!! Nice site here, btw.
Posted by: Stray Pooch | April 10, 2003 01:04 AM
april 10 is my b-day!!!! look at the date stray pooch posted ^^^^
Posted by: jess | March 2, 2004 06:32 PM
This story has been very misunderstood. What the boy did was put his fingers up over his lips in a V shape, then wag his tongue between them while making a "spanking" motion with his hand..a gesture that means oral sex while spanking a rear end.
I work in a middle school, and trust me, these boys know exactly what this means when they do it.
Posted by: truth be told | April 13, 2004 12:55 AM