Sixth Graders Are Having Sex

Meanwhile, AG Bob announced recently that Virginia will become the first state in the U.S. to require registration of all email addresses and Instant Message handles of all registered sex offenders. 

Now, I guess I could be bent about AG Bob's obvious political posturing with this softball legislation.  Even he knows that pedophiles can easily get around this registration requirement.  Rather, what I am finding myself to be more upset about is the risk AG Bob runs hyping this bill, as there are unfortunately some parents out there naive enough to think that MySpace will now be cured of its ills and they will allow their kids to go merrily right along. But MySpace remains a danger despite the pedophiles.
Last year, my then 6th grade daughter was logged onto her MySpace account when I shoed her off to bed and jumped on myself.  I was able to poke around her MySpace page and meet her "friends". I was stunned to read the profile of one of her "friends" - a 6th grade girl who also attended the same Virginia Beach middle school as my daughter.  This girl prided herself on what exactly she did with boys and how exactly she liked boys. 

Ding, ding, ding.  Bells, whistles, alarms.  It's gloves-off time.  Sixth graders are having sex.  Thank you so much MySpace for aiding and abetting the cause. 

Now I was previously warmed up to the idea that children as young as 12 were engaging in at least oral sex.  My enlightenment came two years ago when my daughter was a 5th grader and playing on a team with 6th graders. A soccer mom to one of those 6th grade girls had explained to me how oral sex was a prerequisite activity to engage in as to gain passage to the cool parties and hang with the cool kids at her daughter's middle school. It was a pervasive sexually-charged environment at this Ashburn VA school and her daughter was having a difficult time coping with it.  After getting over the shock of what she told me, I started to think that this was a problem only existent at this particular school.  But as it turns out, it was only wishful thinking on my part. 

My problem isn't just that kids are having sex at such a young age.  My bigger problem comes with all the harmful underpinnings to this activity which MySpace not only supports but exasperates.  The promiscuous are further encouraged via MySpace to engage in more riskier behavior; the shy ones being encouraged all the more to experiment. Middle schoolers also use MySpace to bully each other and as a means of extortion.  This kind of growing up is happening not only too soon but its moving way too fast and is way too pervasive.

Plus I know a sweet 14-year-old girl who is a little chubby and very shy.  Instead of engaging in any sports or clubs afterschool, she goes immediately home and jumps on her computer till bedtime. There are breaks for dinner and homework, but other than MySpace and Instant Messaging there is nothing.  Hers is nothing short of an addiction to her computer and it is not healthy.

Too many parents are in denial or are totally ignorant about the real dangers of MySpace. AG Bob's new initiative carries the unintended risk of allowing parents to think MySpace is any safer for their kids.  Of course, AG Bob can't legislate good parenting.  But as he did promoting the marriage amendment, he could also promote what he considers are the societal implications of the legislation he is proposing. He has the obligation  in promoting this MySpace legislation to also explicitely inform parents to the following truths:  1) children as young as sixth grade are engaging in sexual activity, and 2) that they are using MySpace to promote their sexual activities.

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