Garth Rattray

I'm happy that this newspaper highlighted the predicament of 'Sex in schools a growing problem' (Gleaner February 29). And, yes, I saw portions of that infamous cellular phone video of two 'schoolers' (uniformed school children) having raw, unprotected sexual intercourse in full view of all and sundry (including little ones of between six and eight years old mulling around and witnessing the abomination in silent wonderment). The teenaged girl and boy had coitus on the stairs of a high school. When a friend showed the clip to me, I felt a nauseating chill run through my entire body. Although I could only look at it very briefly, I can't get that sickening, salacious, surreal image out of my mind.

Their crude performance and the way that the pair (I can't call them a 'couple') went about their blatantly unabashed exhibitionistic sex act in full view of everyone reminded me of two dogs mating in the street. I couldn't help but wonder how they came to such animalistic depravity and how many more of our young children are engaging in similar acts.

In my utter naiveté, I truly believed that school sex videos were a rarity; however, to my horror, I subsequently learned that this video was by no means unusual and that recorded sex acts in schools are reputed to be more common than we imagine. The last time that I heard of such a disgrace was when the 'Paula' video surfaced sometime ago. But then, I suppose I should know better; after all, the preponderance of 'schoolers' lurking around and meeting in fast-food establishments, the new bus park and other public places all hours of the day speaks to their lack of interest in education.

Live and learn

Children live what they learn; we can't lay the blame for juvenile degeneracy solely at their feet. Our society oozes sex. Advertisements use sex or the suggestion of sex to sell many items. Our impressionable children view easily accessible pornographic material on cable television and the Internet. Regular primetime movies use sexy scenes to attract viewers. Some tabloids and so-called music videos are a very short step away from soft porn. The dancehall and carnival represent the promotion of sex by way of dress and dance moves.

Whether or not children attend dancehall events, the blaring vulgarity that they typically emanate invades their homes and minds (even in their fitful sleep). Some Coaster buses that transport our children to and from school begin and end their days with unspeakable filth masquerading as popular 'music'. Many communities promote sexual intercourse as a means of getting a man, money, children, power and social acceptance. Furthermore, too many children witness sexual intercourse live and in living colour from their beds in the corner of one-room dwellings in the wee hours of the morning.

Obviously, Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest (the videographer, the male and female students, respectively) are beyond redemption, but perhaps we can save others from moral destitution. We must institute intensive monitoring of school compounds throughout the day. We must bring back active truant officers that will investigate why children absent themselves from school and patrol the streets and well-known haunts for errant students.

We must prosecute open-air, street-side sound system operators for lewd music and disc jockeys for spewing vulgarity at events other than those appropriately rated and confined to auditoriums. We must confiscate public transport vehicles and equipment that play lewd music. And last but not least, we must stop glorifying and exploiting sex in our society.