I completely agree with Dr. Jordan’s choice to show the clip and discuss the topic in her 7th grade class. I wish I had a teacher like that in Middle School. I grew up in the south, and it was very conservative, and I had overprotective parents.  However, no matter how much they and the school may have tried to “protect” me, my peers were my biggest teachers.  This led to some confusing ideas about women and sex, etc.  I applaud what Dr. Jordan did, and I think parents really need to open their eyes and realize that teachers like Dr. Jordan are trying to help your kids figure out this crazy world they are growing up in.  The children will get these messages no matter how hard you try to stop it. Wouldn’t you rather they understand how to navigate the troubled waters of adolescence?  It is very sad that in 2011 something like this had to happen and Westborough lost a wonderful teacher.

Although it was flawed judgment not to send parental notification and offer an opt out activity for kids, discussion about the portrayals of men and women in pop culture could not be more relevant. A caller mentioned the dance recital where very young girls were dancing to music with overt sexual content–I was at the same recital and was appalled. Kids are exposed to “inappropriate” media from a young age, and they need to learn how to examine what they see and hear as critical consumers, just like we teach them to decode advertising and look for media bias.