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This part of the story stuck out the most to me:

"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.

'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."

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 & 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.

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.

@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.

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.

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.

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!

@MamaMoose: I totally agree.

@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!

@pui: No it's not. That's what unwanted touching/kissing is called. Unless you want to call it battery.

@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.

@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.

@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Misconduct is a much more reasonable term.

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.