Originally published March 8, 2008, thehive.modbee.com

It was sweet and innocent and precious three summers ago when Big Guy, overcome by his feelings for little Snow White, had to express them with a kiss.

But, then, this was a daily occurrence for those two. From the second he started at day care, she was at his side, tracking down his lost Bear and dissing her daddy to kiss him goodbye.

Good thing they’re not going to kindergarten in Denver next fall.

Both would wind up spending more time at the police station than they would in class.

According to a recent article in the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Public Schools referred two 5-year-olds and their parents to the local Human Services Department after they kissed in kindergarten.
The Denver Post reported that another youngster was suspended for three days after he hit a girl on the behind while playing tag. Police and social services investigated a 6-year-old who told a classmate she had a sexy booty.

It’s all part of that school system’s “report everything” sex crime policy, an edict from local prosecutors that’s resulted in a 55 percent jump in referrals in one month.

School officials stepped up reporting after a middle school principal was charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly failing to notify the police quickly enough of a sexual harassment claim one 13-year-old made against two others.
The incident involved two seventh-grade boys who “inappropriately touched” a girl in class. The principal immediately suspended the boys for five days and notified district officials, the Post reported.

Nonetheless, she is being prosecuted and could lose her career.

Oh, how the world’s changed. The worst that happened when I was in high school was a warning during morning announcements from the principal about “love making in the halls.” He wasn’t in favor of it. I often wondered what halls he was patrolling, because the worst I ever saw was hand-holding and the occasional peck on the lips.

Let me be clear: I am against sexual harassment. I have some experience in that area, on the receiving end, from a boss several states and a lifetime ago who routinely would leave cruise brochures on my desk with a scrawled “how about it?” and once told me I obviously didn’t care about my career or I’d go out with him to discuss it.

It does, though, seem to me that you have to know about sex before you can harass someone. I doubt that the 5-year-olds know much more than Big Guy and Snow White did three years ago. Clearly, if you have an entire kindergarten class sitting around smooching all day, you have a problem worth investigating, but I doubt the issue there is the kids.

On the other hand, it could be the most effective birth control plan ever invented. Those 5-year-olds probably will be abstinent for life “I just kissed her and got called out by the Gestapo. What’s going to happen if I go for first base some day?”

The “sexy booty” thing bothers me much more than the smooch, not because I think a 6-year-old is capable of forming intent to commit a sex crime, but because he was throwing around such phrases in the first place.

He doesn’t need a police investigation, though. He needs less exposure to raunchy television and music.

Yes, the world’s changed, which is why I’ve been admonishing Big Guy lately about not touching people who don’t want to be touched. He’s had a problem with that, but it stems from wrestling with the guys. Snow White has moved on to another school.

Which is probably best. I’d hate to see them with criminal records before they even outgrow naps.

Copyright 2008 Debra Legg. All rights reserved.

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