Twerking conversation has gone on too long
I had the opportunity to read how a parent feels me to be diminished since I was against kids cheapening themselves for some fad. Apparently they have never seen, nor have taken the time to research this trend (or has not chaperoned a high school dance lately), or they hopefully would be joining the ever growing number of school districts and parents/students against this in any public funded facility. I am sure that those that support this would be so delighted at the next family wedding, or other event, to see their daughter bent over (with dress pulled up over their waist) gyrating their hips into a person’s lower frontal region for the entire evening would make them so very proud – and I am sure grandma would be so delighted also.
I also dislike when people take my annoyance with that form of gyrating within a public school setting out of context, after all, if this was done in the hallway during a school day it would be considered an assault and they would be arrested. I did mention I was against this at a school dance and that idea will not change. But, imagine my surprise when I suggest that – in an educational setting – we voluntarily teach dancing (all forms) to any student that may want to learn. Since our district supports social events that include “dances” and since many of the students responding to me that they have never had the chance to learn how to “dance,” I suggested that we give them the chance to learn – lessons, I might add, that used to be part of the Peters Township High School curriculum.
I never stated that I wanted to ban this beyond the school property, but I had daughters of that age and if any boy would have tried this with them, they would have never had a second chance (to do ANYTHING!). So, for those parents who feel that their kids only have “value” when they are in their presence, I say to them, let them put on their “spanks” and spend the evening at any private club they want and I will never say a thing. Or, we, in an educational setting, can discuss offering lessons that can take them into their later years providing enjoyment and companionship (I never saw a man that knew how to dance being a wallflower, they always had a partner).
And yes, I would hope that since the introductory free dance lessons (starting March 24 to the first 50 PTHS students at Arthur Murray in McMurray) that they learn how to slow dance, twist, cha-cha, ballroom, et cetera (because different types of music require different dances and it would be nice for them to know the difference). It should be the purpose of all educational organizations to provide knowledge that the students can use in the future. After all, we teach fly fishing in a gym class, is dancing that far out of the realm of reality?
I would therefore advocate to those complaining that I am suggesting that the children (and that is what they are) learn to dance should offer to chaperone the next school dance – where this has not been banned already – and make an informed decision. Besides listening to the many child psychologists (i.e., Dr. Carolyn Ivers-Landis, from the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland) and the American Psychological Association (that have studied the effects of sexualization on young girls) who would disagree with those that think this is only just a fad.
Maybe “parents” should be just that and not best friends with their kids? After all, the responsibility of a parent is to teach positive lessons to pass on to the next generation and it seems that, in the process of passing on “class,” “self-worth” and “value of self” are lessons that some of our generation are earning failing grades (the proof of that is that this conversation has gone on for too long).
And, by the way, if Cyrus was doing the twist rather than twerking with Robin Thicke recently, he probably would not have been adding towards his attorney’s kid’s college fund during the latest Hollywood (Thicke v Thicke) divorce.
Bill Merrell
Peters Township