https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:57:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1277212 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 15:08:00 +0000 MsLipGloss 1277212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: We don't charge them differently . . .we assess the behavior based on person's the ability to form intent. The behavior is the same, regardless of age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1277135 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:58:07 +0000 pui 1277135@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Misconduct is a much more reasonable term.</p> <p>Some are saying though that he's been punished that way before and obviously didn't respond? I have to say missing recess was enough to make me feel sorry for what I did when I was a kid, but perhaps this kid just wasn't getting that, especially if his parents were practically enforcing the behaviour. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1277118 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:56:09 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1277118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: the school has relabeled his behavior from sexual harassment to misconduct. I doubt a 6 year old understands that word either.</p> <p>From what I gather based on the boy's words "six year olds have a lot of energy" and his mom's quotes their household thinks this is cute. </p> <p>When I was in 1st grade missing lunch recess was the worst punishment ever. I still don't think suspension was the right move. A week of no recess and a trip to the school counselor to discuss why unwanted touching seems appropriate- after the firsst incident. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1277083 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:49:32 +0000 Snowdrop 1277083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: I agree with you here. I don't really see how it can be sexual when they are to young to be sexual. I think we tread dangerous ground when we attribute sexuality to children that young. However the harassment is still just as serious, he does need to be taught that no means no to any physical contact, same as if he were hitting, play fighting... Any number of things 6YOs do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1277077 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:48:34 +0000 pui 1277077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There is a reason why we charge children differently from adults when they do bad things. If children are perfectly capable of the same decisions adults are, then we should probably stop doing that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1277061 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:46:15 +0000 pui 1277061@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: He's six. We're talking like he fully understands what he's doing. He probably doesn't understand at all why a kiss would hurt this girl. Not saying it's not behaviour that should be corrected, but to say he's an abuser is crazy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1277002 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:35:20 +0000 artsyfartsy 1277002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: Good point </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276973 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:30:16 +0000 MsLipGloss 1276973@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: No it's not. That's what unwanted touching/kissing is called. Unless you want to call it battery. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276967 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:29:23 +0000 pui 1276967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: I get that, but labelling it as sexual harassment is still going too far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276962 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:28:54 +0000 MsLipGloss 1276962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: He doesn't have to know what sex is in order for him to understand that he can't touch/kiss whomever he wants, and that NO MEANS NO. No matter who says it . . . boy or girl! That's a lesson that can't be learned early enough! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276958 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:28:30 +0000 pui 1276958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsjazz: Fair enough, if they had already tried other punishments than suspension seems reasonable at this point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276952 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:27:58 +0000 MsLipGloss 1276952@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Being the parent of young child--who also happens to be a girl--changes my perspective on this piece . . . a few years ago, I would have though the school was overreaching, but now? I am so glad the school is trying to protect the little girl . . . and her class/schoolmates!</p> <p>@MamaMoose: I totally agree. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276938 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:26:12 +0000 mrsjazz 1276938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: There are articles that have interviews with the boy's mother where she discusses how he has been in trouble for rough housing and kissing this same girl previously and how they were trying to deal with it at home by grounding him and giving him big restrictions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276911 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:21:06 +0000 pui 1276911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: From the last article, I didn't get the impression at all that the parents of the boy were told to try and handle this (or even knew anything about this) before the suspension happened. I think we all might be making some assumptions here.</p> <p>I think a severe talking to by the parents and having a few detentions should have happened first. If that had already happened, then I guess suspension is a logical next step. I am by no means saying this girl should just deal with this boy being a major pest.</p> <p>Still, I don't think there was enough to label this sexual harassment. This boy doesn't even know what sex is or even really what the difference between girls and boys are. He probably has no idea a kiss is so intimate because everyone at home kisses each other all the time. He is much too young to understand that this could at all be seen as making sexual advances at this girl. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276888 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:18:14 +0000 MamaMoose 1276888@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: I assume that they have tried that and it didn't work. A previous suspension didn't even work to stop him. I understand that out of context it seems crazy to label a six year old boy a "sexual harrasser". But we have to think about the little girl. Should the school leave her to her own devices to continue to fight off this unwanted attention? Should they assign limited resources to watch this kid like a hawk so he doesn't bother the little girl? There has to be a solution that protects her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276876 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:15:56 +0000 MamaMoose 1276876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As I said on the last thread the fact that he had already been suspended for kissing this girl against her will once before and still repeated the behaviour says to me that his punishment was warranted. This kid needs to learn that it's NOT ok to make unwanted physical contact with another person. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276872 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:15:07 +0000 pui 1276872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I still think labelling it sexual harassment is a huge over reaction. I also think the suspension was too severe a punishment. I definitely think this is something that his parents should sit down and have a discussion with him about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276862 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:13:13 +0000 mrsjazz 1276862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This part of the story stuck out the most to me: </p> <p>"The mother, who is also a teacher in the school district, said Hunter had tried to kiss her daughter 'over and over' without her permission, according to Canon City Daily Record.</p> <p>'I've had to coach her about what to do when you don't want someone touching you, but they won't stop,' Masters-Ownbey told the newspaper."</p> <p>I think 6 is too young to understand and warrant a sexual harassment charge, but if this has happened in the past with this same girl and his parents &amp; teachers telling him to stop didn't curb his behavior than I believe the suspension was warranted. I know that little boys and girls chase each other around and try to kiss each other, but he kept doing this to her. Let's think about her and how he invaded her space and her body. I remember a little boy chased me around and kissed my BUTT when I was in pre-K and I still remember it because I was so bothered by it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276816 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 14:07:12 +0000 artsyfartsy 1276816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel like sexual harassment is definitely an overstatement for a 6 year old but they've said this little boy has kissed her once before and continues to try to do so often! The little girl has probably gotten tired of it and finally made a huge fuss when he succeeded again. I kind of see the girls parents point of view. </p> <p>It's obviously something that the boys parents need to talk To him about if he has gotten in trouble for it before and keeps doing it. I'd be annoyed if someone kept violating my personal space over and over after I've made it clear I don't like it. Regardless of age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/follow-up-6-yo-suspended-for-kissing-classmate#post-1276743 Thu, 12 Dec 2013 13:55:48 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1276743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/us/six-year-old-kissing-girl-suspension/index.html?c=us&#038;page=2" rel="nofollow">http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/us/six-year-old-kissing-girl-suspension/index.html?c=us&#038;page=2</a></p> <p>The girl's parents speak out ans the little girl did not want to be kissed!</p> <p>ETA: here's the original thread<br /> <a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-suspended-for-kissing-classmate" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/6-year-old-suspended-for-kissing-classmate</a> </p>