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Teens & Kavanaugh

Below is a link to an article written by Joe Pinsker of the Atlantic called “What Teens think about the Kavanaugh accusations.” Though we as a church are not picking a side in this issue this article is good for all parents of teens to read.
 
It points to the fact that many people have responded to these allegations with the following response,
“He was in high school…boys will be boys.”  Again, we are not taking sides as a church and are not saying whether or not we believe he should be confirmed as the next Supreme Court justice. But inside this statement is hidden the idea that somehow high schoolers, and really teenagers as a whole, are somehow exempt from making wise choices just because they are teens.
 
This type of thinking diminishes a teenager to something no better than a raging ball of hormones with no brain, and an inability to make wise, sophisticated, and nuanced choices. It also diminishes the damage and lasting effects that these experiences can and do have on these people throughout their adult life.
 
I encourage all parents and adults to read it and to realize that your teenagers are capable of more than you think. They are intelligent and thinking people who have a lot to say and contribute, and who generally understand the difference between right and wrong.
 
However, the more we just say things like “they were just teenagers,”  the more we reinforce this idea that they are second class citizens who like an infant can’t be held responsible for there actions, and also can’t contribute to the bettering of society…until they really become adults.
 
So read the article, talk to your teens, and ask them what they think. They might surprise you with their intelligence, wisdom, and understanding.
 

What Teens think of the Kavanaugh Accusations