That was a great article, I think this is a big problem right now. I'm not sure how I would handle it as a parent.
Two things that stood out to me were the principal/officers at the public school and how they dealed with that situation, or even the girl that reported Sam. I wonder if they know what they created.
Also this part: "I liked them because they were adults and they thought I was an adult. I was one of them,” he said. “I was participating in a conversation. They took me seriously. No one ever took me seriously—not you, not my teachers, no one. If I expressed an opinion, you thought I was just a dumbass kid trying to find my voice. I already had my voice.”
Does every kid just go through this phase, whether it is happening or not, how best to navigate it?
Every kid goes thru the phase where they want to be acknowledged, and their views verified by others (despite that they don't actually know their own views, and is still absorbing).
Those who would want to prey on this can take advantage. It's the role of the parents and public institutions like schools, to teach right from wrong.
In this story, the school failed, but the parents tried and got lucky. But you can imagine the story could have easily gone the other way.
Two things that stood out to me were the principal/officers at the public school and how they dealed with that situation, or even the girl that reported Sam. I wonder if they know what they created.
Also this part: "I liked them because they were adults and they thought I was an adult. I was one of them,” he said. “I was participating in a conversation. They took me seriously. No one ever took me seriously—not you, not my teachers, no one. If I expressed an opinion, you thought I was just a dumbass kid trying to find my voice. I already had my voice.”
Does every kid just go through this phase, whether it is happening or not, how best to navigate it?