I really feel a need to rant. I don’t know what others think but it seems to me that there has been a tremendous increase in the number of inappropriate incidences between teachers and students.
In the past week I have heard of three separate cases where local teachers are being charged for having sexual relations with middle school or high school students. I can hardly believe that in just one week’s time there are three separate incidences in three separate school districts. What in the world is going on here?
Last night I was watching my local news which was covering these incidences. A question was posed, asking if this is something that we should be concerned about. Are relations between teachers and students on the rise or has it always been a problem. One person’s opinion is that we are only now becoming more aware of it.
I find that really hard to believe. It doesn’t seem possible that this has always been such a huge problem but suddenly a spotlight is being shone upon it. I think it is a rising problem and one we need to seriously think about as parents. We should be having some serious and honest discussions with our teenagers about this problem.
Here is what really got me, though. The biggest focus in the news story was on the fact that teachers need to be educated more on what having a proper relationship with a student is about. They just need to learn more about the boundary lines between teachers and students. Excuse me?
First of all, these are grown adults that we are talking about. I think it is quite obvious that they know right from wrong. They know that crossing that line is absolutely wrong. Second, I was very upset that the focus was on the whole teacher/student relationship when I am asking, “Why does a grown man want to have inappropriate relations with a teenager anyway?” Shouldn’t that be the focus? Shouldn’t we be focusing on the fact that it is illegal and morally wrong?
It was almost as if they were ignoring the fact that an adult and a minor shouldn’t be having sexual relations. Could this be a contributing factor to why so many teens are trying to act like adults, doing adult things? Are we treating them too much like adults?
Parents need to know what is going on in their teenager’s lives. Spending time alone with a teacher is not a good idea. I think we all need to talk to our kids about this issue, be alert and try to bring back some moral fiber to this world.
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