That's Outrageous 3

...or is it? I am open to discussion on this one. A Catholic School in Detroit has banned MySpace for their students. Sounds good to me! I really don't think that any sort of blogs or "social spaces" have any place at school. But here is the kicker: the students will be suspended if they are caught using MySpace at school or at home! My initial reaction to that is that it is patently absurd. And wrong. And dangerous precedent. My ONLY hesitation is because it is a Catholic School.

I can't stand the idea of schools, or any other public institution trying to dictate the way that parents raise their children. I am NOT a subscriber to Hilary Clinton's "Village" raising my child. Thanks, but... umm NOT!!! Most of the "village" nowadays is.... let's just say, not what I want for my kids. And guess what, I still have the right to choose what I want my children to be exposed to in this country, thank you very much. My child is not the property of the state or the republic or any other institution. I do have the right (and the responsibility) to raise my child to the best of my ability with my world view. I personally believe that a really good, thinking parent will, as the child becomes able to assimilate it, present the alternatives and encourage the child to make his own responsible, informed choices. But I don't have the right to force every parent to do so. Amish can teach their children that being Amish is the only right way. The Catholics can do the same. We LDS can also teach that ours is the truly right way. The kids can then grow up and use the thinking skills and spirit that their maker gave them to decide that their parents are full of it. After they turn 18;o) I am not, of course, addressing so-called parents who abuse or neglect their children in a criminal way. Different subject altogether. I am under the working assumption that we are talking about responsible parents with different opinions and world views.

How does all this apply to a MySpace ban? My kids are not allowed to use MySpace while they are underaged. I have the right as a parent to ban it. But I just don't see that it is ANYONE ELSE's right or privilege or responsibility to allow or disallow it. My quandry is that I do believe that private institutions such as private schools, churches, the boy scouts or what have you should have the right to have standards of behavior that are required to participate in them.

So, I guess that my bottom line is that I believe that this school is misguided and is addressing a valid problem in an invalid, ineffective way but I guess they have the right to do it. And, were I a parent at that school, I would have to seriously consider the school's mission and methods.