Seven Year Old Boy Accused of Sexual Harassment After Kicking Bully in the Groin
A Boston first grade boy has been accused of sexual harassment after kicking a kid — who choked him and stole his gloves — in the groin.
7-year-old Mark Curran was defending himself against his attacker and now, because he happened to kick the kid down there, the school is investigating, calling it “inappropriate touching.” The mother stood by her son when talking to to the Boston Globe, “I think my kid was right to fight back. He wasn’t doing anything except protecting himself.’’
I actually just had a talk with my son’s bus driver regarding an incident on the bus last week. An older kid hit and pushed him out of his seat and made him cry. My child did not fight back and thankfully his older brother stepped in, but I have no problem with a good kick in the nuts if a kid won’t stop. I definitely want my children to know how to defend themselves if ever necessary. Of course, when I found out about my son being hurt on the bus I emailed the school principal immediately. It’s fine to try to work things out peacefully, but what happens if the other kid won’t agree to that and someone doesn’t step in?
Should we only teach our kids to just be nice and let people — big kids, strangers, even adults — do whatever they want and get away with it? Because, um, I am not okay with that. Unless there’s some key information being left out of this story, the school knows good and well that this child was just defending himself and did not intend his kick in the balls to be sexual. Certainly what the other kid did to him violates some sort of code as well? Whatever happened to common sense?
Read Stephanie’s posts at Strollerderby and her personal blog Adventures in Babywearing.
Photo credit: Aislinn Ritchie
On the surface I agree with you, but since the story is entirely from the point of view of the boy’s mother, and the boy himself keeps changing his story (which is in fact understandable) it’s possible that there is more to the story than is being reported. That said, I tend to doubt a 7 year old is guilty of sexual assault (it happens, but extremely rare) so if there IS more going on, it’s probably not THAT.
“but I have no problem with a good kick in the nuts if a kid won’t stop” best thing I’ve read all day
I’m not a proponent of violence. But kids can be such a@holes to each other. I would tend to agree that there are times when a kid just has to fight back with a kick to the nuts. God I’m glad I’m not a kid anymore.
I’m with you that there is NOTHING sexual about little boys kicking each other in the balls when they’re mad and fighting. I’m not condoning it, but it sure as hell is not sexual.
I am just grinning and laughing that you wrote nuts and balls in this little article. You are so clearly a mama to boys. I just want to hug you.
What about the choking? Since when is that acceptable? Interesting that they named the boy who did the kicking, although clearly a child; yet did not identify the boy who did the choking.
Oh brother. What is wrong with schools these days? How is a kick to nuts sexual in any way for whatever reason? And when my son is old enough to go to school… I’m gonna teach him that’s its always ok to defend himself if he needs to… and we’ll deal with the consquences together. I’d rather have my son be suspensed for a week for punching a bully than to be harrassed and tortured everyday like I was. Bullys have always existed and they always will exist, it’s how we teach our kids to deal with it that’s important.
Based on my own experience with a bully at about the same age I’m all for fighting back. Words just don’t work at that age. Fight back and let them know that your aren’t going to take it and they will leave you alone!
What else was this child suppose to do? If a kid continually is the victim of a bully and is being pyshically assulted, how much is a child suppose to endure before it’s acceptable for him/her to defend themselves? I’m sorry, but a good kick in the nuts sounds pretty reasonable to me if it gets the bully to stop attacking the victim. It’s better than a child bringing a weapon to school out of fear, which we can all agree is NOT acceptable. A kick in the groin is one of best ways to subdue and stop an attack no matter what your size, in fact, isn’t that what most women are taught in self defense classes? I think the school is wrong for punishing the victim and then claiming the act as “inappropriate touching.” WTH?!!! Why isn’t hitting anyone considered INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING and why was this kid still allowed in school if he was bullying the victim on more than one occasion? The problem is, most parents of bullies are either in complete denile of who their children are and what they are capable of doing, don’t take the issue of bullying seriously, or simply choose to blame the victim as being weak. Take that along w/the belief that being bullied is a right of passage and this is why most bullies continue to be agressors w/o real punishment and the victims continue to be abused and revictimized by getting in trouble when they actually fight back. Once again, there is a clear lack of common sense not being applied to this situation.
I totally agree. the kid had a right to defend himself and kicking the aggressor in the balls is a defense or offensive move, not a sexual assault. I have never understood the blanket policy both kids who get into a fight in school are both punished. If they randomly start a fight it’s one thing but if one is just defending him or herself or is excessively provoked it is another.
Whoever accused him should be kicked in the nuts as well, and see how sexual it is when they are down on the ground crying holding the man parts-