Punitive Biology

Madame:

Good reminder that the actions of even a single individual can matter quite a lot.  In matters of reasoning as well.  Because when we fail on those, we set in motion far reaching effects.

Discernment?  Sanction fitting the transgression?  Apparently we don’t care to have those at all.

Instead, we ruin lives.  Criminalize non-criminals.  I could be speaking of marijuana, but I’m not.

I’m speaking of biology.  Rape?  Murder?  At best, we get brief mild or moderate outrage on those.  But insert some biology, and people lose their minds and the outrage meter goes off the scale.  There are few who can seem to resist using the sexuality of others as a weapon against them.  Even teenagers, who will mightily resist “snitching” for just about everything else, will readily employ this particular weapon.

In the capitol of Nebraska, a 22 year old first year teacher is about to have his life ruined for good, be labeled a sexual deviant and sexual offender, and spend a good deal of his life behind bars.  And even when he gets out, he will be a registered sex offender, something that will haunt everything he does or tries to do, including where to live.  Economically, he will have few options, almost none of them worthwhile.  The resulting despair and depression that confront those like him have driven many to suicide.

His “crime”?  Oral sex with a consenting 14 year old.  Whoops.  Sorry.  She can’t “consent.”  The law and society considers her woefully bereft of reasoning or judgment.   What’s more, it considers virtually any older male as having sorcerous powers of charm and persuasion that she is helpless to assess, let alone dismiss or ignore.

How degrading.  How insulting.  That we think so little of our young ladies.  How is this presumption supposed to help them become strong minded, strong willed, confident women?

It also flies in the face of what common sense and common reality (backed up by extensive research literature) tell us, which is that 14 year old girls make a great number of meaningful cognitive decisions, from internet, phone, television, and social media exposure (and levels); to manners of dress and appearance; to who they associate with; to the subjects discussed; to personal hygiene; and so on.

So instead of implied helplessness, how about we try this instead:

-Teach our young ladies (and young gentlemen), once they start reaching puberty (13? 12? 11?), the various aspects of male-female interaction, and not just physical, but social, psychological, emotional, etc.  This wouldn’t have to be done at school.  Could be at church, could be at another school, could be at home, could be at a girls club of some kind, or any number of places.  The parent(s) would decide in each case and certify it.

-Decriminalize natural biology and get way more perspective about all that.  I wrote a whole post about this on the Professor over 2 years ago.  See it here: http://passionateexamination.blogspot.com/2013/01/biology-not-deviancy.html

-In situations where there are other considerations (such as the matter of educational/administrative power over the student, such as this case), administrative options, not criminal penalties, are far more warranted.  For instance, in the Nebraska instance I mentioned above, the school district, presumably in command of far more in-depth facts than outsiders, would have a range of administrative options.  Everything from brought into group counseling or mentoring therapy; asked/made to apologize to the school, students, and parents for transgressing their trust and confidence; fine and/or suspension for a time; advised to learn from the incident and transferred to another school for a probationary period; given a short-term administrative position and not having the contract renewed, meaning the teacher would have to go elsewhere or into another profession; or any number of sanctions or remedies (guidelines—not prescriptions—could even be drawn up for school districts to reference).

I think Elton John needs to modify another of his songs.  It should go like this:  “Discernment seems to be the hardest word.”