Week in Review: Nikki Lorenzini

Sexting Tragedy

I have so much to say about this topic and so little space to vent. I would like to pose two questions: Why do these kids have cell phones and where are their parents?

I might sound old fashioned, but cell phones were just coming out when I was in high school (mind you, I graduated back in 2001). They weren’t fancy. I don’t even think they had text messaging. I had a crappy one in 11th and 12th grade that was a pre-paid from Bell Atlantic (remember them? Thank you, Verizon for buying them), and it didn’t even have voice mail. But heck, it was mine and I was paying for it. Yes, I always paid for my cell phone. Now, I see kids rolling around with blackberrys (I don’t even have a black berry). I see them with these fancy phones and I wonder if it's really necessary. I know for sure it is not necessary for me, and I’m 26! I can wait to get home to check my Facebook and email. But can these kids really be trusted with cell phones?

And I would really like to know where are the kids' parents. Kids today are more sexually active. Call me old fashioned once again, but why can’t parents teach these kids to keep their clothes on? I believe that teaching kids about sex should start at home. Yes, school is where kids spend a good chunk of their day, but the schools did not give birth to them. The parents need to teach their children some type of responsibility. I am tired of hearing about children getting harassed for doing this type of stuff when the parents should have taught them that these things have consequences. I was always taught to be careful what you say in emails because they can be forwarded onto others. The same thing applies to texting, especially when it comes to these types of things. What teenage boy will really delete a nude picture of their girlfriend?

Yes, I believe that the school and police could have done more to protect this student. But to put all of the blame on the school? Nay Nay. I am waiting for the day that parents teach their children some type of responsibility and self respect.

Email Nikki