SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A state lawmaker is carrying a bill that would let schools suspend or expel kids for sexting — sharing sexually explicit material via text message.
Democratic Assemblyman Ed Chau of Arcadia says Assembly Bill 2536 would also require that health classes include information on the perils of sharing scandalous content.
The Sacramento Bee reports Saturday (http://bit.ly/1Qkn7Ai) the bill specifically deals with images or video and focuses on cases where the message has “the effect of humiliating or harassing a pupil.” Full Article
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I agree with the provision of including sexting awareness in health classes, but expelling students for trite decisions as part of an ongoing relationship, that seems a bit excessive.
Now if the sexting in question was unwelcome, harassment, or coerced under duress, then yes, punitive measures should be taken. But if two people in a committed relationship are sharing private, intimate moments with one another, then these punishments are excessive, especially since they will haunt said students on their perminent records.
I know the saying goes if you can’t legislate common sense, but how about a bill that tries to offer a little guidance in the area where these kids aren’t busted for distributing “child porn” or that sort of thing that they have to register as sex offenders for the rest of their life.
We live in a country where certain health/sexual health information is treated as being more relevant to one gender over another in educational settings. Abstinence only programs are taught and many states don’t require medically accurate information be presented in middle school/junior high and high school. Before putting forward any additional discussion topics for health class and sex education how about making sure what’s currently taught is accurate and effective.
Sexting should absolutely be covered, but there are already plenty of gaps needing to be closed before figuring out how to address sexting. Also its laughable that automatically a sext in the mind of the above California state lawmaker is considered scandalous content. What constitutes sexually explicit material under the law might surprise people, especially teens sexting and framing sexting as negative all the time sends potentially dangerous messages about sexuality to those who don’t need anymore confusion.
I agree classes should cover this information, but they shouldn’t be expelling students over it.
In New Mexico, minors can consent to send stuff in texts, but not to a relationship with some one older?
There’s no reason to expel the students if they are already jailed and awaiting trial on child pornography charges. Now, if we could just charge people for whatever prurient thoughts they think, EVERYONE would be registered! And THEN the laws would start getting changed!!