Who says we need up-to-date sex ed. for our kids, many who are dealing with issues of consent and social media-based sex crimes? Lock 'em up!
BREAKING: Another St. Michael’s College School student has been arrested, bringing the total number of students facing charges to seven. It is not clear what charges the 15-year-old student is facing.
While I'm disheartened to hear about the seemingly unending number of incidents that occurred at St. Mike's and certainly support up to date sex.ed. I'm not sure I would conflate those two.
Most of these incidents at St. Mikes, whether they include a sexual element or not, appear to be of the bullying and/or hazing variety.
While, I don't have all the details, I don't think the assailants were in any way confused about whether the victim consented. I don't think a more contemporary understanding of gender identity or sexual orientation would have
done much here either.
The issue smacks more of something that has been present in the past and remains an issue in frat-houses and in lesser measure, sororities; as well as the culture surrounding boy's athletics, particularly high-performance and high-profile athletics.
Let's get the sex.ed. program updated.
But let's not presume that would have stopped this, nor something like it in the future.
We need to find ways to address group-think; bullying, the culture of initiation, and the culture of entitlement/untouchability that often comes w/being uber-popular or high-profile in any setting (see Hollywood and me-too).
There is a need to ensure everyone feels and that they are, accountable for their actions. Empathy must be encouraged and dehumanization demonized.
Athletes (and others) need to have their entitlement bubble pricked, and need to know that they gain respect and leadership by stopping BS like this, not starting it.