...I have had second thoughts about making some of my comments public and have decided to edit this post...
Don't say I didn't give you a fair warning. The title is such.
In the elementary school where my daughter plays and is 'educated', there seems to be a vulgar theme circulating. Have you ever noticed something about vulgarity? It seems to take on a life of its own and move from person to person until all are made dirty either by repeating it, or having heard it in passing. At first I was listening to my daughter repeat what she hears, then debriefing with proper definitions and reminding her that no one in our current circle of friends talks like that. Over the last 4 months though, the topics are intensifying ...snip...edited by Kim... This apparently goes on during lunch and recess. ...snip...edited by Kim...Remember that whatever they are saying now, will escalate as they get older. In my son's school, for grades 6 to 8, I can wander around the halls with my 7 year old daughter and hear colourful language in a continuous stream with no acknowlegement that an adult or a small child are present. In Wendy's with my daughter for lunch I heard 19 and 20 year olds explictly describing what they would like to do to each other in bed with raised voices.
This is a reflection of the standards, and values that adults are setting in the schools and in public places either by example, or by ignoring such behavior. My feeling is that an adult has a responsibility to hold young people accountable for what they say and how they act in public places. Don't worry if you are greeted with more vulgarity for speaking up, behind that false show of security your message has been heard...AND if more of us spoke up more often, the message would be heard enough times to make a difference. There is a time and a place (and an age, I dare say) for experimenting with language, and adults need to remind those who step outside that line. Take back the public places! There was a time when even the roughest of characters never swore in front of his or her mother! You just never did that, it was considered 'rude'. What is considered rude these days? Is there anything?