First-Grader Suspended for Singing 'I'm Sexy and I Know It'

[marmar]

A Colorado elementary school student was suspended from school this week for singing a lyric from a popular LMFAO song, "I'm sexy and I know it."

Those six little words from the Los Angeles rap-influenced duo earned first-grader D'Avonte Meadows a three day dismissal from Sable Elementary in Aurora, Colo.

"I only just said the song," Meadows told Denver's ABC7 News. "I'm sexy and I know it."

School officials said D'Avonte was suspended for sexual harassment after he sang and the line to a female classmate who was standing in a lunch line. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time he'd serenaded this girl with this particular lyric. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/first-grader-suspended-singing-im-sexy-know-170724238--abc-news-topstories.html

[LeftishBrit]

1. It sounds as though it was a bit more than just singing the song

He seems to have been misbehaving in general, and to have been teasing the other child. I can understand the school taking some form of disciplinary action. Calling it 'sexual harrassment' seems a bit much, however!

[elleng]

2. Sounds like 'suspending' his parents more appropriate.

[cynatnite]

9. Agreed. n/t

[Skittles]

3. I bet he was adorable!!!

I think he's too young to sexually harass but a little bit of education in courteous behavior might be in order

[unblock]

6. yeah, the only thing that seems off is applying the term "sexual" harrassment to pre-teens.

what he did was still harrassment, regardless.
and gender roles played a part, no doubt, even if actual sex was not in the offing.

[marmar]

7. I don't think of a first-grader as being a pre-teen.

nt

[unblock]

10. i meant that as an upper limit ; )

mini-unblock will be starting first grade in the fall. is toddler still the right term?

[marmar]

11. I'm not sure what you call a first-grader.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Old enough to know better. That's what I call him.

I've taught 1st grade. They key point in the story:

it wasn't the first time he'd serenaded this girl with this particular lyric

I'm thinking his teacher had already told him this was inappropriate and he shouldn't do it. I think a 3 day suspension is a bit much but a 1st grader repeating a behavior he's corrected for definitely deserves some sort of consequence. A phone call home and a lost recess would be more reasonable than a suspension however.

[unblock]

14. he was sent to the principal the previous time.

i would guess a phone call home is sop when you're sent to the principal's office, no? maybe depends on the school.

just a lost recess seems too soft, especially given that he'd had other disciplinary problems before and this was a specific repeat offence.

3 day suspension could have been 1 or 2 days, though, i suppose.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. ISS. The little ones hate it.

That's what we do in our school. I had a 1st grader in my room today. Sat in a chair, facing the wall all day. That's a lot more of a punishment than sending them home to their video games and TV.

[Marrah_G]

17. There is a video out there of elementary school kids grinding

It's pretty graphic and the kids are being cheered on by the crowd. They learn this shit from what they see. That mom needs to teach her son respect for others.

[unblock]

4. the headline omits a few relevant details

the fact that he wasn't just singing to no one in particular, but to one particular girl.
the fact that this was at least the second time he did this to the same girl.
the fact that he had been disciplined before for this exact behavior.
the fact that he was "'shaking his booty' near her face."

makes the case rather different from simply singing a song.

[marmar]

5. I don't think they can fit all that in a headline, n'est-ce pas?

[unblock]

8. of course not. but "6yo suspended for pestering classmate" wouldn't draw as many readers.

though it would be much more accurate. it's a boring story with THAT headline.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. LOL check out the shirt he's wearing.

Someone thinks this little darling is cute and innocent.

[LeftyMom]

16. Little kids test limits. It's nothing personal, it's how their brains are wired.

At that age my kid decided to start singing the repeating part of Killing in the Name in the frozen food aisle. If you don't know it, go google. Yeah.

Redirection works really well on kids that age. "Wow, you've got a great voice, but I don't think the lyrics are appropriate for somebody your age. Do you know the words to (some other song with appropriate language)?" is probably all that was needed to solve this problem. Overreacting to a misbehavior just ensures they'll do it again, because they absolutely love attention.

I swear, the number of people who work with kids and have no sense of how kids' brains work...

[burrowowl]

18. When I was in 2nd grade

our teacher asked us to sing our favorite song. My parents had gotten me lots of Burl Ives 45's and my favorite was "My Father was the keeper of the Eddiestone Light, he slept with a mermaid one fine night ..." The teacher grimacing said "That's nice" and went to the next pupil.

[Odin2005]

19. A 7yo shouldn't be even be listening to such vuglar trash.

Those parents should be ashamed of themselves!

[Lilyeye]

23. Ummm the song was featured on a M&M commerial, the superbowl and in a trailer for a new kid's movie

They play this damn song EVERYWHERE. You'd have to lock your kid up to avoid it.

[Edweird]

20. Probably because he doesn't work out.....

[Warren DeMontague]

21. QUICK! LOCK HIM IN A ROOM WITH NO FOOD OR WATER FOR 5 DAYS!

Oh, wait, sorry, we only do that to pot smoking college students.

[elehhhhna]

22. my 5 y/o nephew recently sang "I'm 60 and I know it"

he was not corrected.
lol truefact