http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/s...ment-at-school/


"More than a third of middle- and high-school students may be victims of sexual harassment by their classmates, a new report shows.
The problem of sexual harassment from peers — which can include name-calling and unwanted touching in hallways and classrooms — is often largely dismissed as normal student behavior by school officials. However, the emotional toll of sexual harassment by school kids appears to be even worse than physical bullying, according to new research published this month in the journal Sex Roles.
“It happens in gym, on the school bus and when kids change classes,'’ said Susan Fineran, study coauthor and associate professor in the school of social work and women’s and gender studies at the University of Southern Maine. “And it’s who you’re sitting next to, who’s sitting behind you and in front of you.'’
To study the issue, Dr. Fineran and coauthor James Gruber from the University of Michigan in Dearborn surveyed 522 children between the ages of 11 and 18 about their experiences with bullying and sexual harassment at school. Overall, 35 percent of kids reported they had been victims of some form of sexual harassment.
Boys and girls reported equal levels of harassment, but girls and sexual minorities were far more upset by it, suffering from lower self-esteem, poorer mental and physical health, and more trauma symptoms.
Sexual harassment by classmates can be both physical and verbal. Walking through school hallways or in classrooms, girls said they must fend off boys reaching out and squeezing their breasts or grabbing their crotch or bottom. But girls also verbally harass each other, making lewd comments and writing sexually-charged allegations on Web pages or in text messages. "

Hello ... they are kids thier hormones are running amok, there horny all the time an only finding out they like the oppisite sex. all this is perfectly normal. its only sexual harrasment when you should know better.

They should know better

so are you saying hormonol teenagers should be sexually aware an behave in a proper manner, thats not natural for kids. jeez the kid pulling the girls ponytail means he likes her.

i don't know , louie , it could still go too far ..

Someone pulling a ponytail is not sexual harassment. But unwanted comment and touching is. If someone not and you continue that is harassment hormons or not

?????? Louie ???? I teach middle school and yes they are drunk on hormones, but most everyone of them know what the boundries are. Do you think that the girls know that they are not allowed to grope teachers??? I have to be on watch at all times and it sometimes gets overwelming especially as part of my job is watching out for inproper dress violations which are done on purpose. This job is sometimes a nightmare. Perfectly normal this is not.

I totally agree with you Bog. But I blame the parents for allowing the child to leave the house that with to. I wouldn't want your job

Most kids' parents arent even home when they get dressed and head off to school.
Blame them for allowing those type of clothing to been bought, its teaching them its ok to dress in such manner. Saying its ok to show the boys / men things that should be covered. And then they wonder why such things happen.
But then you get some parents who dont care what their kids are doing, allowing them to do ANYTHING they please at any given time.
When I was a teen and nowdays a boy/ man made a comment that I didnt like or tried touching me .. he would find that he would be picking himself off the ground, I dont tolerate that crap. Ive also taught my kids not to accept such behavior. My daughter is the same way as i am, she had put a boy in hospital due to the boy trying to touch her in the wrong manner, in self defense.
If a parent dont teach the kids that such things arent right, then you will find out that your child is either> pregnant / the town floozy / ' easy ' .
As far as hormones flying and its normal. I'm not saying its NOT normal to wonder at such an age. However the kids should KNOW right and wrong. If they dont, then i blame the parents for bad parenting.
As a parent we want the best for our children, so that starts off with teaching them right and wrong , being involved in their lives, knowing who their friends are, etc.
And being their bestfriend and their parent, make sure they can tell you anything, and you listen to their feelings, etc. You never know what they might need to talk to you about. Thats just me, how i am with my kids.

You are totally right Thump. Why buy your child tramp clothers if you don't want to dress like a tramp. Guys PLEASE PUT A DAMN BELT ON. WE DON;T WANT TO SEE YOUR DRAWERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now we know why they call you Thump.