Susan's Blog » SEXTING:

Social Skills Education or Prosecution? (duh)

Do you think “sexting” is safe?  If you’re a teen, you may.  A new study released by Cox Communications with the participation of John Walsh and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children demonstrated that 41% of the 655 teens studied thought just that.  Most adults find this statistic astounding.

Fortunately, “Sext” education for teens is gaining much needed momentum.  In fact, New Jersey and Vermont are considering legislation to offer kids caught “sexting” at school, education instead of prosecution. I’d love to help design the curriculum to include communication skills, social skills, and netiquette.

Why teach these interpersonal skills?  Because how we interact with others is judged daily by peers, teachers, and employers. And, communication proficiency is related to success and happiness in life.   Yet curiously, communication and social skills are rarely taught in most lower, middle, or upper schools. For some teens, “Sexting” is a form of communication, albeit a socially inappropriate means of connecting with others.  It’s “unmannerly” because ultimately it risks hurting and offending people. The good news about “sexting” is that we now see “Netiquette”, internet and electronic etiquette, being formally addressed by some educators, lawyers, parents, and actors.  Yes, actors: Kevin Spacey recently schooled David Letterman on Twitter Etiquette. Now that’s an astounding idea.