Texting: Teens Help Stop SB6

Posted by Marsha on April 16, 2010

The coolest thing happened today. I got a text from, Jack, my 10th grade son, informing me that SB 6 was vetoed. I sit on the computer all day, but HE found out before me and TEXT me before anyone in my office (school board office) heard a thing!! HOW COOL IS THAT! You may be asking, what is so cool about that? I will tell you.

Before I get into the awesomeness of this, you have to consider how most adults think about kids and how they use their social networks; that they are not used for any worthwhile or for humanitarian purposes. For example, texts instructing every student to fall off their chairs at one o’clock (that didn’t really happen, but you have to admit… if it did it would be really funny). Or text messages letting kids know the latest coordinates of tonight’s party. And serious abuses such as with “sexting”, bullying, and other inexcusable, inappropriate uses of social networking.

Having said that, LOOK at what happened today. These kids, the same kids who supported teachers by planning massive walkouts via text messaging got to see the exponential power of one. One text, then another, and so on- day after day. They were heard. They made the news. They contributed to the process in a non-violent, substantial manner. And then they text the news of their victory to all the people they knew cared. I could hear the voice in my son’s words “sb6 is vetoed!!! yay!”

True, for many of these students, this first step at exercising their rights as an American was initiated by the lure of getting out of school. But after the fact, even these followers must feel the excitement of what they helped accomplish and feel some sense of pride at knowing their voices were heard.

Grown ups, parents, teachers… see the light. Accept what you can not change about your kids and their desire to socialize, and begin to imagine the potential, the power, and the lessons that will be learned their way, whether we like it or not.

Text away little buddies! But Jack, get your homework done first! <3

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