I just ran across this story from a case up In Oregon.  It appears that two 13 year old boys who were goofing around in school and allegedly slapped female classmates on on the butt.  Now these kids are facing some very serious sex charges and could be permanently marked as sex offenders.  On top of that, they could spend up to 10 years in a juvenile detention center!

It has been a long time since I was 13 and I never personally engaged in such shenanigans, but doesn't this charge appear to just be over the top.  I must step back and say that I do not condone such activities, but isn't this another example of the system going to far?  I understand that school districts are petrified of everything.  They are totally afraid of being sued for anything, but that is a whole different discussion.  The District Attorney up there claims that "These cases are devastating to children.  They are life-altering cases". 

Personally, I just think that this punishment is just way to much.  Do they deserve to be punished?  Yes, but whatever happened to dealing with it either on a parent-to-parent basis or with the principal at the school.  How did a District Attorney get his grubby hands on this in the first place?

I just know that when I was that age, that I would have had to deal with a principal that would never tolerated that behavior.  Then there would be the repercussions from my parents that would be worse than anything the school could ever do to me. 

Sure goofy stuff like that happened at my school.  It happens at all schools.  Part of it is being a bully and part of it is a kid goofing around with a girl that he likes.  It is a very awkward age for both sexes. 

The point is, do these kids really need to spend that amount of time in a juvenile detention center and be permanently labeled as sex offenders?  I think not.  This should have been handled at the school level and had the parents involved.  Suspensions or public service would be more appropriate.

What do you think?