Sexual Image Awareness in the Schools?
Posted June 12 2009

This week, State Senator James Beach (D-Camden) introduced S2923, a bill that would require "school districts to annually disseminate information to students and parents or guardians on the dangers of distributing sexually explicit images through electronic means."

Specifically, the bill text states:

A school district shall annually disseminate information to students in grades 6 through 12 and their parents or guardians on the dangers of distributing sexually explicit images through electronic means.  The information shall include, but not be limited to, a description of the practice and its legal, psychological, and sociological implications. The school district may disseminate the information by any means it deems appropriate including, but not limited to, pamphlets, posters, and other educational materials, new or existing instructional programs or assemblies, and meetings with parents or guardians after regular school hours.

No doubt the impetus for this legislation was the recent case of the 14-year-old Clifton girl who faced potential child porn charges after posting nude pictures of herself on MySpace. Similar cases have arisen in other states, where children have texted sexually explicit images of themselves to friends. In Pennsylvania, for example, students as young as 11 were found to have cell phones on which were traded sexually-explicit pictures of teen girls. And in Massachusetts, six young people ages 12-14 were "charged with possessing and distributing material of a child in a sexual act" after they were found to be sending nude photos of a 13-year-old girl via their cell phones.

Unquestionably, children are dancing with danger by distributing these images (not to mention by posing for and taking the pictures to start with) - particularly when the images fall into the hands of sexual predators, which can easily happen when texts are forwarded from one person to another or when students allow supposed "friends," met over the Internet, to view their profiles on MySpace, Facebook, etc. And unquestionably, children must be made aware of the fire they're playing with.

At the same time, however, Senator Beach's legislation begs the question of responsibility - specifically, whose primary responsibility is it to warn young people of the dangers of taking and distributing sexually-explicit images.

We contend this responsibilities lies in the home with parents.

Under Senator Beach's legislation, schools would discuss issues such as pornography and "sexting" with children as young as 11. The legislation is well-intended, but it should serve as a reminder and - in truth - as a stark wake-up call to parents to be sure they are taking charge of raising their children and teaching them the values of modesty that, if followed, will protect them from engaging in this self-destructive behavior in the first place.

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