Unfettered Letters

‘Sexting’ not porn

Equating teens’ sending seedy pictures of themselves with child porn is absurd (2/8, A-1, “When teens bare it all on cell phones”). It qualifies as inappropriate and stupid, but it is hardly porn. It is merely the techno version of steamy letters and tawdry sex talk.

The willingness with which cops and prosecutors pursue this activity says they are concerned more with securing a conviction than serving justice. They are obviously willing to destroy a teenager’s life for a boneheaded act in the interest of appearing “tough on crime,” which looks good for their next re-election bid.

Zealotry has overridden common sense and has become a pestilence.

Mark Anderson
Lee’s Summit

Obscene materials

Kansas Senate Bill 492 with Section. 2 is about local school board review of potentially obscene materials, not the “prosecution of teachers” herd mentality trumpeted by lobbyists.
My child’s class assignment contained vulgar descriptions of sexual encounters. I ran the gauntlet of months of forms, meetings with teachers, principals and committees, resulting in no change. Concerned parents were cast as overly prudish, practicing censorship, violating the First Amendment and burning books. What parent has the stomach for this?
TV, movies, games and videos all have systems that restrict entertainment choices available to minors. When all other institutions have gone the extra mile to voluntarily or by regulation evaluate sexually explicit content, why have schools maintained a policy that places the burden on parents?
Some say that a review of sexualized materials by the local school board would be “chilling” to academic freedom. We are not talking about adults. We are talking about educating minor children. Support Senate Bill 492 with Section 2 intact.
Phillip Cosby
Overland Park