There is a horrific story out of Alabama where Christian Adamek, 15, committed suicide. Unfortunately, teen suicides are not uncommon but this suicide occurred after Adamek was arrested for running naked across the Sparkman High School football field and was told that he faced expulsion and be registered as a sexual offender. That is clearly too much for a 15-year-old kid, particularly after a common prank like streaking.
The day before Christian’s suicide, Sparkman High Principal Michael Campbell spoke to the media to emphasize that Christian would be handled as a criminal suspect: “There’s the legal complications. Public lewdness and court consequences outside of school with the legal system, as well as the school consequences that the school system has set up.” In Alabama, indecent exposure is linked to the state’s sex offender laws. In addition to Campbell’s public statements, Sparkman High administrators reportedly recommended that Christian face a hearing in the Madison County court system for possible formal charges. In addition, they moved to discipline him. In this interview, the principal says that the situation is far more serious than “they” realize and says that it is not simply a matter of a prank. The media coverage pushed the story that the teen would be going into the juvenile criminal justice system and could be labeled a sex offender.
It is hard to judge from the stories what emotional issues Christian may have been facing. However, the threats of criminal charges, and a sex offender listing, are ridiculous for a high school prank. We have seen a trend (here and here and here and here) of school officials criminalizing a wide range of conduct that was once treated matters for a sit down with parents and nothing more. It also reflects the seemingly exponential expansion of sex offender lists, which are increasingly put teenagers on a listing with lifelong burdens and stigma.
Once again, we do not know all of the influences on this tragic suicide. However, I fail to understand why such matters are immediately viewed as criminal matters for the principal and school officials.
Christian leaves behind his mother, Angela, and a sister and a brother.
Source: Daily Mail
the Exaggerated criminal charges od sex offender status is an Orwellian Pre-emptive strike against challenging authority.
Seems government is going in for the KILL SHOT on those who won’t bow and fear ‘THE AUTHORITIES”
When I was in high school we got even with teachers and principals like this in various ways. The poop in the bag routine would get their attention and justice was served. So kids, listen up. Brown paper shopping bag. Fill it about a third of the way up or less with dog poop. Or human poop. Spray a small amt of lighter fluid on it. Nine p.m. while teacher is watching TV in his living room, place bag on his door step, light bag, ring bell, observe from safe distance as he comes out and stomps out the fire. Poop on his pants, on his porch and steps. Then there is his mailbox. Tie about six cherry bombs together and use a time fuse. Place in his mailbox on the wall by the front door, light and run. The medium is the message.
Nick, angst ain’t it all, I was just pointing it out. All living and growing is a struggle. The tools we have in our environment differ. The cultures differ. Parental values and guidance differ. A successful and fulfilling life is a matter of surviving to achieve it. Some don’t by nature, some don’t by choice. Some don’t and some do. …And success ain’t money, it is balance. PS. I ain’t no capitalist. .. Okay I’m done, three ain’ts is my current limit.
Blouise,
As the BBC put it:
“That was due to illegal gambling activities, officials said.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24499310
or:
gbk,
From your link at 4:46pm:
” … incidents of indiscipline.”
What in the he!! do you think that means?!
Tragic consequences. It reminds me of recent cyberbullying incidents, where the actions in social media create the humiliation that pushes a teen to end her life. In this case, the bully is the school principal.
It use to be that matters like this were handled prudently, behind closed doors, with care not to embarrass the student. If the principal was this aggressive on public television, I imagine he scared the living hell out of this child in his office. The sister said he faced expulsion, and the principal’s desire to bring criminal charges, including a sex offender registry, is just plain ludicrous. Somebody needs to find out what the principal meant when he said that this was not merely a prank. He needs to explain that comment. IMO, the principal should be fired for his television interview and failed leadership on this issue. None of the students are safe with him being principal.
Tragic cultural dynamics.
raff, What SWN said. My sister lived in Houston back in the 70’s/80’s. There’s some great Mexican and BBQ. The people, in my experience were friendly. The only thing that blew my mind was the total lack of zoning laws. Congrats, to your fam.
The below link goes a little way towards explaining the apparent no tolerance policy set up in all schools from elementary to high school
Dave Hodges: Health and Human Services (HHS) and Children Protective Services (CPS) Want to Take Control of Your Kids, Ceausescu-Style
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/hhsCeausescustyle17aug13.shtml
” We are never invested as much in public education as we should have because we’ve always had a kind of private notion of children. Your kid is ‘yours’ and totally your responsibility We’ve never had a very collective notion that these are ‘our’ children. So part of it is we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or that kids belong to their familes, in recognizing that kids belong to whole communities. Once it’s EVERYBODY’S responsibility and not just the hoursefold, then we start makng better investments” … MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry…..
i sure hope she doesnt have kids because she is much to willing to turn them over to strangers and allow them to do what THEY FEEL IS BEST for her kids
You could argue selective prosecution. That’s a recognized tort against government officials including school administrators, I think. I think a lot of the states also have limitations on wrongful death liability claims that are pretty low unless someone is actually a big earner. Often too low to justify spending the money on a lawsuit, no one will take it on contingency and with actions against government officials acting in capacity sometimes punitive damages aren’t allowed.
A cop complained to me about needing to enforce a 15 mph speed limit and said that the best situation is clear cut laws enforced always with penalties no greater than needed to deter the conduct. In this case, probably being suspended from the football team would have been enough. Of course, it’s possible that he streaked because he thought he would be cut from the team and that was the only way he thought he could quit while saving face.
I still think that you should recognize that freshman in the same high school could be very intimidated by a display of sexual maturity. Even some of the juniors and seniors might be embarrassed. Plus most of the spectators would be high school kids, some of them on their first dates. If you just laugh off the nudity, what happens when the 14 year old girls get in cars with the 16 year old boys? — the conversation would probably be more sexual than what it was when I was dating at that age.
And, of course, the following article will contribute to my insomnia — especially after the shock of a teenager streaking:
“The Air Force fired the general in charge of its nuclear missiles on Friday, just two days after a Navy admiral with top nuclear weapons responsibilities was sacked. Both men are caught up in investigations of alleged personal misconduct, adding to a cascade of turmoil inside the nation’s nuclear weapons force.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/apnewsbreak-gen-charge-icbms-fired-20543564
Some dated news from 9/27/13 concerning Montgomery, Alabama, (why does this town sound so familiar)?
From The Atlantic (excerpt):
“Irvin [a popular Christian radio preacher] was speaking at the graduation ceremony for Operation Good Shepherd, a publicly funded Christian outreach ministry started by the Montgomery Police Department that puts Christian pastors on crime scenes to counsel and pray with victims and witnesses.”
Full article here:
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/09/using-christianity-to-fight-crime/280038/
raff,
NO STREAKING! It would be most unseemly!
However, should you be kidnapped by Tea Partiers and held as a bargaining chip against funding for the ACA … SwM and I will mount a rescue effort. Be prepared to duck and cover when we come.
Seriously, enjoy the festivities and may your son and daughter-in-law enjoy “A house full of sunshine, Hearts full of cheer, Love that grows deeper each day of the year.”
rafflaw, Some areas of Houston are okay. Stay out of the suburbs( loaded with megachurches and tea partyers).
Blouise and Swarthmoremom,
I have to go to Houston for my Son’s wedding next month so I will be venturing into dangerous territory!! 🙂
SwM,
With good reason.
Blouise, I don’t think rafflaw is a fan of southern living. lol
SwM,
And then there is the fear of rape while incarcerated for being a sex offender. Oh yeah, a 15 year old boy wouldn’t be concerned about that at all.
RWL,
Perhaps it was panic. When the emotion of fear/apprehension becomes so strong that it blocks out reason/logical thinking, a level of anxiety beyond endurance occurs.