Kids gone wild

Parents should come to the realization that their children, having been raised in the entertainment age and an amoral society, are not innocent and tend to know about everything that is wrong in this world.

A misconceived idea among adults is that young people are naive, when teens are anything but, and with each passing generation, the teen culture becomes less innocent. The troubles of drugs, sex, and drinking are all major matters with young people, leaving adults with more problems than solutions.

An example of lack of moral sense is that of camps popping up in certain states around America. One camp in Florida even caused Congressman Mark Foley to urge Gov. Jeb Bush and the state's attorney general to investigate it. The problem with this summer camp? It's run by the American Association for Nude Recreation, and its campers are between ages 11 and 18.

On June 3, USA Today reported on a Heritage Foundation study that reveals a very significant spike in the depression of 14- to 17-year-old girls who are sexually active – with some even attempting suicide.

This Heritage Foundation study arrived on the heels of another disturbing study on teen sex. On May 19, the New York Times reported that a study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy found that one in five teens have had sex before their 15th year, with one in seven of sexually experienced girls having gotten pregnant.

The study also reveals that one third of those teens' parents had no idea that their kid might be having sex – a testament to how uninvolved parents are usually coupled with immorality among young people.

For those who have any sense of absolute morality, this is clearly a bad thing for young people. There is no doubt that being sexually active at a young age will degrade the life of these teens and have a negative impact later in life, especially for those teens who become pregnant.

Thus, the question arises, "what is the main factor that has caused much of this moral disarray?"

First and foremost, parents are responsible. The NCPTP study highlights that one in three parents had no idea their child was sexually active. I presume that many of the other two thirds did nothing to stop further encounters. Both groups of parents show a lack of involvement that is needed to prevent moral lapses. Other studies confirm that where parents are divorced or fathers aren't present in a daughter's life, the likelihood of her becoming pregnant as a teen is much higher.

Secondly, public education is to blame. With many schools handing out condoms, birth control, morning-after pills, and value-neutral sex education, a big message from schools does nothing to prevent sexual encounters among teens. In addition, Planned Parenthood, an organization that is greatly involved in the government education system, has pushed for easy access to abortion through schools. Looking at the actions of public school systems, we have to wonder what exactly the schools are advocating here.

Another side to the government education coin is peer pressure. A study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation last month reports that about 30 percent of teens feel pressure to have sex, drink alcohol and do drugs. Many liken the public educational system to the peer-pressing social society in the book, "Lord of the Flies," and, in this respect, they are right.

Lastly, the entertainment industry is to blame. Sure, we live in a free market and regulating morality in entertainment is nothing the government should be involved in, but one must wonder where the morals are in entertainment. The majority of singers don't seem to be talented enough to keep their clothes on. Movies, music and television present an overwhelming message of sex, and vulgar language is just something you are required to put up with when you watch television or the widescreen.

From all angles, lack of responsibility is thrust upon teens, leaving them with nothing to hang onto. There is no foundation in teen culture and no driving purpose but peer pressure and role-models in the entertainment industry. With that dangerous mix, morality will continue to be driven out of teens, leaving adults with examples of a society falling apart.

An investigation would most likely show that there is far less teen pregnancy (or delinquency) among practicing naturists than among the rest of the population.

pfft. It's a sad state our country is in, and it's always the first reaction to point fingers at media, schools, yada yada yada. It's the parents. They should be the strongest influence on their children, but they can't be because parents often have to both be employed or work two jobs to make any ends meet at all. Whenever parents start blaming the TV, it's only proof that those parents expect that box to be a babysitter and are more apt to raise a ruckus rather than making time to be involved in their children's lives.

I may be dating myself here, but the first album I bought was the Beatles first album. My girlfriends and I were declaring the Beatle we were in love with. (I chose George, tee hee.) The entertainment industry provided pre-teen girls with an outlet for their puppy love. Plus we could marvel at the quality music. It was rock n' roll, and it was fun and healthy for us to listen to.

I can't imagine why parents today would let their kids buy the absolute garbage that is spewed out by the rock music industry today. But it's not my problem, it's theirs.

As a parent of a teenager I can assure you that not all of the music out there is absolute garbage. I remeber well being a teen and picking music that would drive my parents nuts...and it alwaysed worked. Some of the music my daughter listens to is more of an indication of her own despair . I can always tell what her mood is but the music she has on. As to the Beatles, I much preferred the music of Motown

Response to the 4 problems mentioned:

1) Homeschool your kids. Homeschooling parents tend to be involved in their kids' lives.
2) Homeschool your kids. YOU teach them about sex and pass on YOUR moral values. Teach them WHY what most of the PS kids are doing is not only wrong but stupid and self-destructive.
3) Homeschool your kids. Teach them to think independently of their culture.
4) Homeschool your kids. Do entertainment as a family, and talk about what you're viewing.

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