Comments on: Rant: Poledancing in middle school? http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/ Simple living, natural learning & exploring the world Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Arp http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/comment-page-1/#comment-109 Arp Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:44:02 +0000 http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/#comment-109 I'm not a prude by any means, and I don't think my values are conservative, but considering the topic, maybe I'm more conservative than I thought. My goal is teach my kids how to behave and interact with people in a healthy, productive fashion. They can make their own choices as adults, but for now it's up to us. I’m not a prude by any means, and I don’t think my values are conservative, but considering the topic, maybe I’m more conservative than I thought. My goal is teach my kids how to behave and interact with people in a healthy, productive fashion. They can make their own choices as adults, but for now it’s up to us.

]]> By: Meg http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Meg Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:38:19 +0000 http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/#comment-108 I'm 30 and from New England. I hope to start a family in the next several years to come. While not considering myself a "prude," I have strong morals and conservative values I hope to instill in my future children. The nonchalant attitude about sex in our public schools is a key factor in my decision to homeschool when the time comes. Although I was public-schooled and feel fortunate enough to have grown up in a small New England town with an above average school system, (small class size, personal attention, exceptional faculty, etc.), I feel there has been a behavioral shift in the twelve short years since my graduation. From the skimpy clothing barely covering pre-teen girls to the F-bomb I hear dropping so casually from the mouths of boys who barely look old enough to make the little league, where has the decency gone? True, sexuality is natural and kids are going to wonder about it. I simply want my husband and I to be the ones making the calls in everything from when to introduce sex ed. to the curriculum in the classroom. I want US to be our children's most important role models, not Janet Jackson, not Britney Spears, not the kids in junior high homeroom telling each other oral sex isn't sex. It's truly inspiring to me to see such an extended network of like-minded people on the home schooling front to educate and support me in the future. I’m 30 and from New England. I hope to start a family in the next several years to come. While not considering myself a “prude,” I have strong morals and conservative values I hope to instill in my future children. The nonchalant attitude about sex in our public schools is a key factor in my decision to homeschool when the time comes. Although I was public-schooled and feel fortunate enough to have grown up in a small New England town with an above average school system, (small class size, personal attention, exceptional faculty, etc.), I feel there has been a behavioral shift in the twelve short years since my graduation. From the skimpy clothing barely covering pre-teen girls to the F-bomb I hear dropping so casually from the mouths of boys who barely look old enough to make the little league, where has the decency gone? True, sexuality is natural and kids are going to wonder about it. I simply want my husband and I to be the ones making the calls in everything from when to introduce sex ed. to the curriculum in the classroom. I want US to be our children’s most important role models, not Janet Jackson, not Britney Spears, not the kids in junior high homeroom telling each other oral sex isn’t sex. It’s truly inspiring to me to see such an extended network of like-minded people on the home schooling front to educate and support me in the future.

]]> By: Arp http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Arp Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:46:09 +0000 http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/#comment-94 Ha - I had *quite* a different experience in Catholic school. I can't think of a single thing even remotely similar to your experiences. I'm sure that defines my perspective on this quite a bit ;-). What kids do will manifest itself differently with each generation, and we can reasonably assume that it will get more risque and/or tasteless. At some point, we're not going to be able to blow it off with a simple 'kids will be kids' platitude. I haven't drawn a specific line in the sand defining this point, but I'll go with Potter Stewart and say 'I'll know it when I see it.' One aspect you are right about is our society generally being prudish - healthier overall attitudes towards sex would be much better than kids imitating the crass crap that's passed off as entertainment these days. Kids being honest in exploring their sexuality would be much better than this garbage. Prohibition of anything has never worked the way its supporters imagined. Sure, kids are getting mixed messages from their parents and from the media. Some good, solid parenting would take care of it, honest discussions about sex & sexuality. Still, supporting a kid for dancing is better than nothing. Doing some actual parenting would just be a lot better. Ha – I had *quite* a different experience in Catholic school. I can’t think of a single thing even remotely similar to your experiences. I’m sure that defines my perspective on this quite a bit ;-) .

What kids do will manifest itself differently with each generation, and we can reasonably assume that it will get more risque and/or tasteless. At some point, we’re not going to be able to blow it off with a simple ‘kids will be kids’ platitude. I haven’t drawn a specific line in the sand defining this point, but I’ll go with Potter Stewart and say ‘I’ll know it when I see it.’

One aspect you are right about is our society generally being prudish – healthier overall attitudes towards sex would be much better than kids imitating the crass crap that’s passed off as entertainment these days. Kids being honest in exploring their sexuality would be much better than this garbage. Prohibition of anything has never worked the way its supporters imagined. Sure, kids are getting mixed messages from their parents and from the media. Some good, solid parenting would take care of it, honest discussions about sex & sexuality.

Still, supporting a kid for dancing is better than nothing. Doing some actual parenting would just be a lot better.

]]> By: John http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/comment-page-1/#comment-93 John Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:50:13 +0000 http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/#comment-93 Meh, you're getting old and crotchety :) I heard the follow-up article is about an expose on middle school boys telling dirty jokes in the locker room and giving each other wedgies. Cmon, middle school kids acting inappropriate, saying and doing sexual things they don't understand...this is nothing new, it just manifests itself differently each generation. Every 80s song is about sex or drugs and Al and Tipper took the musicians to congress to try and put a stop to it. Damn devil music, making the kids crazy going to ruin society! Middle school is a crazy time...hormones kicking in and all. My friends were sneaking out while the girls were prancing to Madonna and smoking pot. We even had a mini terrorist group and would read the anarchist cookbook and perform missions at school like putting fire crackers in toilets. We fought, made fun of each, and had a helluva lot of fun. When the school banned shorts because of all the sexual danger they bring, the boys wore dresses to school in protest. Was the performance in poor taste? Absolutely, thats why the kids like it. Parents supporting their kids dancing? They could be doing a lot worse, like not being there at all. I'm more concerned with how prudish our society is. Maybe if we weren't so hung up on Janet showing her tit at the superbowl, kids wouldn't be so drawn to sexuality and all this infernal devil music. Meh, you’re getting old and crotchety :) I heard the follow-up article is about an expose on middle school boys telling dirty jokes in the locker room and giving each other wedgies. Cmon, middle school kids acting inappropriate, saying and doing sexual things they don’t understand…this is nothing new, it just manifests itself differently each generation. Every 80s song is about sex or drugs and Al and Tipper took the musicians to congress to try and put a stop to it. Damn devil music, making the kids crazy going to ruin society!

Middle school is a crazy time…hormones kicking in and all. My friends were sneaking out while the girls were prancing to Madonna and smoking pot. We even had a mini terrorist group and would read the anarchist cookbook and perform missions at school like putting fire crackers in toilets. We fought, made fun of each, and had a helluva lot of fun. When the school banned shorts because of all the sexual danger they bring, the boys wore dresses to school in protest.

Was the performance in poor taste? Absolutely, thats why the kids like it. Parents supporting their kids dancing? They could be doing a lot worse, like not being there at all. I’m more concerned with how prudish our society is. Maybe if we weren’t so hung up on Janet showing her tit at the superbowl, kids wouldn’t be so drawn to sexuality and all this infernal devil music.

]]> By: Arp http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Arp Tue, 02 Jan 2007 14:37:21 +0000 http://www.tinygrass.com/2006/12/rant-poledancing-in-middle-school/#comment-82 The lack of parenting is really disturbing. I'm hoping some of these kids grow up, get some sense and ask their parents What Were You Thinking? The lack of parenting is really disturbing. I’m hoping some of these kids grow up, get some sense and ask their parents What Were You Thinking?

]]>