In Aurora, Colorado, D’Avonte Meadows, 6-year-old boy at Sable Elementary School was suspended for sexual harassment and disrupting other students. How can a six-year-old boy sexually harass someone? He told a girl “I’m sexy and I know it,” a line from a popular song.
School officials insisted that they are only carrying out written policies and that sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome sexual advance and has no age limit.
The boy had previously gotten into trouble for quoting from the song by LMFAO “Sexy and I Know It.”
I have written a variety of columns (here, here) and blogs (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here) criticizing zero tolerance policies on drugs and guns where teachers and administrators who refuse to use a modicum of common sense in enforcement decisions.
Since this is the second time that the boy has been told to stop quoting from the song, I can understand a parent-teacher meeting or conversation, but suspension?
Notably, Colorado is considering repealing its zero tolerance law, which would return schools to the position of dealing with these issues informally and with a little judgment and discretion.
Below is the song, but be warned. If one line is enough to get you suspended, playing the whole song will likely lead to life in a super max prison in Colorado:
Source: CBS
This was actually his second time doing this exact thing to this exact girl in a month. and in the last two weeks he has shaken his butt at this exact girl, and lifted his shirt at this same girl. His mother was brought in, and they discussed it. this is completely in line with progression of punishment. this is not a zero tolerance policy anything. i don’t think this is sexual harassment, simply a child acting up, and no one except the school holding him responsible. as seen by his mother making excuses for him…
OR, love the pirate!
Mike,
“Is D’Avonte Meadows perhaps Black?”
Why do you ask?
Svoogle
1, May 8, 2012 at 11:01 am
Are Americans aware that their country is turning into bizarro land?
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Oh please….where the hell have you been???????
That sentiment expressed I would also add that I am w/bettykath on this issue. Suspending a 6 year old probably has more to do w/getting a message across to his parents as well as setting a behavioral boundary. Six years old is not too old to relearn appropriate behavior. In case people haven’t noticed, our public schools have been under fiscal attack for a long time and I am getting tired of hearing the ‘lockdown’ sirens in the neighborhood. These kids are being victimized by many things and lack of knowing how to behave with other kids shouldn’t be one of them.
Is D’Avonte Meadows perhaps Black?
Scary that this is what music is boiling down to. This song is horrible.
Not even appropriate for anyone’s ears, let alone a 6 yr old.
Awful !!!
Svoogle,
Since I’m the only one supporting suspension, you must be referring to me. I’m also the only one who pointed out that the boy was putting his rear end in the girl’s face and “shakin'” it. This is sexual harassment. He needs to learn now that you just don’t do that. He needs a serious timeout. 3 day suspension is too much. One day maybe. Or a day or two in detention.
Boys/men do sexual harassment as a right without regard for how a girl/woman feels about it. As one who has experienced it, sexual harassment is not the right of any boy or man. He might as well learn it now. If she objects, stop it. He didn’t learn the first time he was admonished so more has to be done to get his attention and to help him learn.
How would you feel if some woman put her rear in your face and….never mind. Guys would pay her to do it.
Are Americans aware that their country is turning into bizarro land? In any European country, this would be a major news story. All news reports, even those from the most serious and official sources, would ridicule the decision makers at state and school level, because it would be clear to every single person in any European country that everything about this is absurd. Completely and utterly absurd.
The fact that the situation in the US is completely different, and that most Americans are too stupid or too ignorant to understand the absurdity of this situation, is extremely disturbing.
The fact that people reading this blog are calling for a suspension of the boy is almost more disturbing.
On second thought, a three day suspension for a 6 year old is a bit much. One day suspension and a sincere apology to the girl.
Kind of like the woman who successfully sued McDonald’s and had to endure all kinds of jokes, there’s more to the story than the headline. He was shakin’ his booty near the face of the girl. That’s unacceptable. Some education about acceptable behavior is needed. A timeout is appropriate. A 3-day suspension should get his attention that he needs to listen.
http://news.yahoo.com/first-grader-suspended-singing-im-sexy-know-170724238–abc-news-topstories.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=feed
(disclosure: my 11 year old nephew just got a 2 day suspension for “fighting”. His 3rd time this year for “fighting”, not suspension. He and his buddy were messing around, anger wasn’t involved, and didn’t stop when told to. My sister supports the school, her son is grounded after a discussion about appropriate behavior and the need to listen. He goes back to school this week.)
This is the kind of story that, as Lewis Black says, makes the dogs in my head start barking.
The adults, his parents, their school board, are the ones in need of a time out.
The real problem is that you hear one stupid thing after another, and just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, here comes another….
But this one don’t even make the top ten…that’s just HOW BAD it’s getting…!
Stupid is as stupid does!
I recall a similar situation of stupidity on this blog about some kid writing or telling a teacher she was pretty…..
I guess he’s too sexy for school.
“Notably, Colorado is considering repealing its zero tolerance law, which would return schools to the position of dealing with these issues informally and with a little judgment and discretion.”
Oh, how incredibly brilliant those who educate can be, or not be.