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These days, he just might get a thrill at the teachers his son hangs out with . . . |
Posted on 12/03/2004 7:17:59 AM PST by Tarpaulin
HUNTSVILLE - Gloria Thomas never thought much about the jelly bracelets her two teenage daughters in the Huntsville school district had been wearing for the past year until she stumbled upon a color code chart in one of their notebooks.
For some students the plastic bracelets, which come in a rainbow of colors, are more than a trendy fashion statement. They're also props for sex games, a trend gaining momentum in other districts nationwide.
"I called the school on Monday and they acted like they didn't know about it," Thomas said. "I can't believe they're actually letting these kids wear these bracelets."
Huntsville school officials acknowledge that some students wear the bracelets, but they have not witnessed any inappropriate behavior associated with them.
Thomas' 13-year-old daughter, Monica, said both boys and girls wear the bracelets. The game begins when a boy notices a girl wearing a bracelet. He then tries to break or snap it off her wrist. The game works the same when a boy wears the bracelet.
If successful, the person wearing the bracelet is supposed to perform a sexual act that's determined by the bracelet's color.
According to one Web site, black represents sex, green represents outdoor sex, orange represents a kiss, red represents a lap dance and clear is anything goes.
Banning bracelets
Some districts in New York and Florida have banned the bracelets because they have become so disruptive in the classroom. Students have been caught snapping at bracelets as well as selling and trading them.
The jelly bracelet first appeared about 20 years ago when Madonna and other singers began wearing them.
The flimsy jewelry made a comeback last year, with middle and high school students slinging them on their wrist. Since then, the bracelets have become known as sex bracelets because of the unusual games.
School officials have tried to put an end to the games but say the trend continues to spread because of media coverage.
Huntsville officials say they have no plans to ban students from wearing the bracelets.
The Houston school district has not received complaints or reports of problems with the bracelets, nor does it have a policy that bans them, said district spokesman Norm Uhl.
Thomas, the only parent so far to complain to Huntsville officials, has pulled her children from Mance Middle School because she is not pleased with the district's response.
Case by case
Sharon Tule, an assistant superintendent, said principals have been made aware of the bracelets and how some students may be using them. They will decide what action to take on a case-by-case basis if students are caught doing something inappropriate or disruptive, she said.
"Our superintendent has talked with the principals and feels it is not widespread," Tule said. "This is new to us as well. Who would have ever thought?"
Easy access to information on the Internet is fueling the jelly bracelet craze. Dozens of Web sites hawk them and give instructions on how to play sex games with them.
Some Web sites note the games are for adults only.
Monica said students keep the game a secret from parents. But when her parents found her notebook, she had to fess up. She and her sister are no longer allowed to wear the bracelets and have been grounded indefinitely.
Mance Principal Tommy Hooker said teachers are always looking out for trends such as the jelly bracelets, and it seems that most students are not connecting them with the sex games.
"What students do outside of school we have no control of, but we don't even allow kids to hug and kiss. It's handled as inappropriate behavior," he said. "We certainly wouldn't let them wear a bracelet that says do more."
But banning the bracelets, he said, would be appropriate only if they were a disruption.
Opportunity for discussion
Sex education experts say the district is taking the right approach in dealing with the issue.
"They have not witnessed inappropriate behavior, so it doesn't make sense to ban them," said Debra Hauser, vice president of Advocates for Youth, a organization based in Washington, D.C., that advocates for policies that help young people make informed decisions about sex.
"Adults need to be very aware of what's happening and use the opportunity to have an honest dialogue with them (their kids) to help them figure out if what they're doing is appropriate or has repercussions," Hauser said.
I have a friend with a soon-to-be 13 year old. He gets a real kick out of how many girls his son 'dates'.
I remind him how different the world is now than when we were kids. Back then getting to 'second base' was our ultimate, and usually unattainable, goal but now oral sex is a way to while away a boring afternoon for many kids.
Then I ask how proud he would be to be a grandpa to his 13 year old sons' baby.
Well, in 1950 both faxes and air conditioning were rather rare. I would say that air conditioning did not become common until the 60's, and faxes didn't really become common until the 70's.
"Or an email claiming someone's 59 year old grandpa was around before faxes or airconditioning."
Well, I'm 59. Air conditioning was quite rare when I was a little kid, and faxes were something used only by major corporations and the military.
I was born in 1945. My family didn't have a television set until 1952, so I listened to radio programs.
A lot has changed. But not as much as for my parents, who are now 80. My grandparents, now long dead, could remember the first time they saw an automobile and the first time they saw an electric light.
ONE MORE REASON TO home/private school your children.
on the one hand it's easy enough to make sure you child isn't wearing one when they leave your house. After that there's not a lot a parent can do short of following the child around all day.
There was a time when public schools actually did teach moral values. That might not be such a bad thing.
On the other hand your point is well taken. Teach (by word and deed) our children correct principles at home, and they will make correct choices.
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These days, he just might get a thrill at the teachers his son hangs out with . . . |
"Teach (by word and deed) our children correct principles at home, and they will make correct choices."
Usually, they will, but not always. It is a fact with teenagers that they sometimes make wrong choices, regardless of their upbringing. It's part of being human.
Just as we all, no doubt, disappointed our own parents with some of our choices, our children will likely do the same from time to time.
lets ban bracelets, that will stop teens from having sex.
(above message in clear text)
I just realized why I can't even give the dang things away. They're made of PEANUT BUTTER! Kids these days, I can't keep up...
She probably isn't letting her child wear them now that she knows what they mean.
Like we didn't know that already without the bracelets.
LOL. Oh, yeah, all heck will break loose then.
It is a sad day when this mother admits that she expects the school to have more knowledge of her daughters life than she does as the mom.......
LOL. Ain't that the truth.
Nooooo...Nah, no need to do that...
But let a student wear a Biblical verse on a shirt...or a Support-our-Troops message, or pro-Isreal, or pro-Life, or even a pro-Heterosexual message...THEN they MUST take it off, be fined, suspended/banned and sued!
Welcome to CrazyWorld!
More proof every day that LIEberals are Cancer, and MUST be treated as such!
In my school days our teachers looked like Helen Thomas.
"I called the school on Monday and they acted like they didn't know about it," Thomas said. "I can't believe they're actually letting these kids wear these bracelets."
No lady, you're the one actually letting your kids wear the bracelets!
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