This is honestly such a good thread to read, because regardless of political thought, I can truly see both see both sides of the argument. As a high school teacher, these kids are fresh out of high school, and they are YOUNG. I am so thankful that I attended college without facebook, instagram, twitter, snap chat (which I can't figure out), and whatever nonsense is out there. I believe that if we all look back, and had constant documentation of our behaviors, we wouldn't be half as quick to judge these kids. Kudos to KKG for dealing with this is a prompt manner, as adults we should all work to educate this student instead of throwing her under the bus, she made a mistake, own it, help her. I personally have a no social media policy with my own kids, the rule is currently sitting at no social media until you are done with college. As adults we have been educated and taught the difference between right and wrong (hopefully), raising kids doesn't just end at 18, thank god, or I would have never grown up!!!!

These kids aren't living under a rock. If this was fifteen years ago when this stuff was in its infancy, I could see where there was no precedent. But we've all seen major celebs taken down by Twitter and such. If you live on social media like most of these kids do, I can't see it coming as a surprise that people judge you for what you post (frankly...isn't that the point of posting for a lot of people?)

I think to say it's going to "ruin their lives" is taking it too far. Isn't the girl from Maryland (of "I will c*nt punt you for not having fun at Greek week" fame) writing articles now? This won't make anyone look good, but in a few years no one will remember what happened except in the really big cases. And half the time the person's name isn't even released.

I'm more concerned with the racial disparities in the CJ system that brand 18 year olds as felons for life for doing something that would be a summary offense in college. But since no one here seems to believe this disparity exists (despite evidence), I am not going to argue the point.

You're making the point. These incidents are widely known with consequences. Yet they keep happening. Why? Young adult brains aren't quite there yet.

I agree- it's probably the same reason binge drinkers keep dying on college campuses. At that age, you genuinely believe it won't happen to you. It might happen to someone, but they don't seem to grasp the fact that they could be the "someone." Can't say I was different at that age, either:

Oh man, TriDeltaSallie. I really want to give you a hug right now and sit down for a long coffee with you. Not because I agree with what you've said. Totally the opposite. It's because I think people who disagree so drastically in this day and age really should sit down together and take time to intentionally seek common ground.

I consider myself pretty left, and I was totally agreeing with a lot of what you said...until you said that last bit. I would hope that if we sat down for a real conversation, you wouldn't turn around and say these things about me the way you've said them here.

Ya- I totally agree that these are huge issues for kids and agree with your assessment about teaching people to do and think for themselves and giving them the space to fail.

I totally agree that we've swung too punitive and less compassionate. And I think part of that comes from the divide in society today. It feels like people are less willing to really hear opposite opinions, and our faith in others' ability to grow and correct their mistakes is almost gone.

I have two young kids, so I've been reading a lot (too many?) parenting books that talk about this exact problem:
How to Raise an Adult
The Price of Privilege
The Gift of Failure

But the take here is less political and it's more about the pressures we place on kids to be perfect, the crazy over-scheduling, the protection from any kind of failure, the bubble-wrapping, and the inadvertent short-circuiting of the essential growing-up process.


YES! Everything you've said here, and more.

There are myriad reasons. I think it does us all a disservice to ignore the complexities here.