KELLY

There is an email going around which shows some girls from a prominent high school in some sexually explicit positions.

I haven't seen the girls gone crazy and wild email and have no intention of doing so either. Just like I was in no rush to view the ones from that school in Clarendon a few months ago. When I was in high school a mere eight or nine years ago, I worried more about passing exams and making it to university. Apparently, school has become easier since I left so these children need something more challenging to keep them occupied.

I hear the argument that students have been doing this thing for years; the only difference is that nowadays, we have the technology to broadcast the things they do. Now that doesn't excuse the darn thing. Badness and 'outa adanis' has nothing to do with that. I've heard it said the devil has been let loose in the schools and I'm beginning to believe it.

Speech

If my daughter was suspended, expelled or otherwise punished by school officials for such acts, I honestly have no idea what I would do. On one hand, the 'I'm so disappointed in you' speech doesn't quite do it. The old fashioned way of giving her a fine spanking might not work for two reasons. The first is that presumably she would be around 16 or so years of age and so beating her wouldseem excessive. Secondly, if she's doing sexual things with a schoolmate of the same gender, she's prepared for anything. The beating might just turn her on.

Played their part

And it's not just the girls. The boys have played their part in this whole sordid mess and perhaps have been the instigators of them. I remember when I was in third form and it was 'report card' day. I was busy thinking about whether my math grades had improved. A few of my male schoolmates were discussing if they were going to 'get any' later that evening. Tell me if you can why the youth are getting all sexually crazy. Cable, no training at home, the Internet; take your pick. And, it didn't just start today. The fact that this behaviour has been around for a while doesn't make it okay. In fact, it makes it worse because it means something's not working with these sex education classes. Either the messages of restraint aren't getting through because of poor counselling or because the children just don't give a hoot and don't listen. Either way, our pickney dem, a no pickney again.

Lament with me at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com