Sex abuse charges dropped in spanking case (two Oregon boys)

[MissB]

http://www.katu.com/news/9094426.html

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. - Sex abuse charges against two young boys in what has been dubbed the 'spanking case' have been dropped, although the boys will still face sexual harassment charges.

The case dates back to March of this year and involves two Patton Middle School students accused of slapping female classmates on their buttocks and poking at their breasts.

According to the boys, 13-year-old Corey Mashburn and 13-year-old Ryan Cornelison, it was all just part of a game that several students at the school were playing. Authorities said it stemmed from the MTV series "Jackass."

Although the boys and many others considered it just horseplay, the District Attorney's office in Yamhill County took the matter seriously and charged the boys with felony sex abuse. The two spent several days in juvenile detention and were temporarily suspended from school.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Maybe the parents should take away the TV

I've not missed cable, and rarely watch the idiot tube anyway. If those parents don't want their kids acting like jackasses, take away "Jackass".

[parasim]

2. Taking it away doesn't necessarily solve the problem...

My son actually likes those Jackass shows/movies/whatever, laughs at them. But he would never think of acting them out.

Kids who do act out these sort of things are not going to necessarily change their ways if the tube is shut down. They'll figure out some other way to be assholes.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Then perhaps they need a mentor

who can show them positive things to do so they aren't jerks.

I live in a rural area where many people have been off the grid and without television for years. They have a private school (not a religious one-we're talking liberal environmentalists here), and it was refreshing to teach a class there--the attention span of the kids was longer than children who watch the box all day. They were more cooperative with one another, and were very creative. Of course, the parents tended to to a lot of nurturing, as well as the community--jerky behavior was called for what it was, and the kid could decide if he wanted to continue it or not, but realized there were consequences.

[parasim]

4. Yup. And parents can be great mentors.

I agree with what you said. I'm just saying the parents should to be the mentors, first and foremost. If that's not possible, for whatever reason, then, yeah, communities like you mention are very valuable.

What I was getting at, was, sure, taking away the TV is a good thing, but teaching a child basic human decency and common sense is squarely in the realm of the parents (or legal guardians).

edit to add: Then when they watch a show like Jackass, they may laugh at the stupidity of it but at the same time understand that that is just not something one would do in real life. Taking away the TV doesn't really help them understand what it is in the first place. An idiot box.