More and More, Kids say the Foulest Things (swearing)

The Washington Post ^ | 04/12/04 | Valerie Strauss

[crv16]

Dan Horwich's English class is a bastion of clean language, where students read the classics and have weighty discussions free of invective and profanity. But when the bell rings and they walk out his door, the hallway vibrates with talk of a different sort.

"The kids swear almost incessantly," said Horwich, who teaches at Guildford High School in Rockford, Ill. "They are so used to swearing and hearing it at home, and in the movies, and on TV, and in the music they listen to that they have become desensitized to it."

[crv16]

My oldest daughter has experienced this vulgarity when she arrived at a City HS this past fall. Her previous surburban middle school didn't tolerate foul language, but the HS has ignored this problem largely.

[duck duck goose]

I am 33 years old, my mother never allowed us to say anything. Never the Lords name in vain, booty, nothing. To this day if I say something she doesnt approve of, I hear about it.

[politicket]

Our school does not allow foul language at ANY time, before, during, or after classes.

The principal (me) does not stand for it (homeschool)...

[Gabz]

Mouth meet soap. And that goes for adults using foul language around children.

[One Proud Dad]

Just the beginning of the end...

[orionblamblam]

> the HS has ignored this problem largely

Good! The notion of being shocked, SHOCKED by people using dirty words is just tragically sad.

[k2blader]

Well, who's parenting the kids.

[politicket]

Good! The notion of being shocked, SHOCKED by people using dirty words is just tragically sad.

You're such a noble sort. Grow up!

[Choose Ye This Day]

Another proponent of Cultural Entropy, I see.

Tell me again how dirty words enrich us as a society?

[Spok]

I have a passion for westerns, but couldn't get through one episode of HBO's "Deadwood".

[proxy_user]

Well if all the obscene words simply become normal expletives, everyone will forget their original meaning.

Therefore, new obscene words will have to be invented to replace them.

[politicket]

Another aspect of Negro culture, being adopted by the non-Negro mainstream.

OK...you people are beginning to concern me on this thread. This has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with lack of discipline in the schools.

Kids were cussing back in the 50's, but they weren't doing it in front of adults. We now live in a society where "tolerance" is celebrated at the expense of moral correctness.

[JenB]

Heh, I was the victim of a similarly intolerant homeschooling environment. I've found I can no more use foul language than I can fly - odd what that day-in, day-out condition does to one.

I think the use of "dirty words" indicates a poor vocabulary and inability to communicate. I'm trying to break at least my female friends of their swearing habits but they just don't see the problem.

[Choose Ye This Day]

Don't be daft. This isn't about race, it's about values.

[politicket]

Keep ministering to your friends, and be VERY careful about associating yourself with them if they refuse to change! (Spoken to you from a homeschool dad ;-) )

[Gabz]

This has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with lack of discipline in the schools.

You are correct it has nothing to do with race. But you are incorrect that it has everything to do with a lack of discipline in schools...........the lack of discipline comes from the parents.

[orionblamblam]

> Tell me again how dirty words enrich us as a society?

Tell me again how dirty words hurt us as a society. Is it the word itself that you fear, or the feeling behind it?

[Clemenza]

At my lily-white elementary school back in the early and mid-1980s, kids would swear all the time. Of course, there were never any adults around.

[steve-b]

Viking Kitties: Cleanup on Aisle Six....