Boys Chase Girls

June 16, 1999

Back in grade school did you ever play a game that could best be called "boys chase girls"? In first grade, girls were yuck. But somewhere along the line, girls started looking a little better and so we boys began to chase them. Frankly I think the girls liked it when a cute boy caught them. In fact, I suspect that often the girls let us catch them.

Well, "boys chase girls" is about to come to an untimely end. Teachers and school administrators got some chilling news from the Supreme Court the other day. I'm talking about the case involving sexual harassment. Schools can be held liable for student-to-student sexual harassment.

At my school, at least, I don't think anyone in their right mind would consider "boys chase girls" as anything but fun. But with this ruling in the background, who knows? What if the cute boy decided to kiss the girl he caught? Now that might really constitute sexual harassment given the recent court rulings on boy-girl interaction. Remember the case of the 6-year-old boy in North Carolina who was temporarily suspended from school for kissing a little girl on the cheek? He even had to miss the class ice-cream party. Now that's cruel and unusual punishment.

Seriously, there are some real issues of concern, but I've got to express concern about where this recent case will lead. The Supreme Court ruling in Davis vs. Monroe County Board of Education clears the way for a trial involving a girl who was sexually harassed by a fifth-grade classmate. It's quite possible that the school district will be held liable in the case. If so, then don't expect to see "boys chase girls" on the playground anymore. After all, someone might claim sexual harassment.

I'm Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, and that's my opinion.