Letter: Kids don’t need risque dancing

Monday, March 25, 2002 | 8:53 a.m.

Kudos to Harmon Principal Del Bean and Assistant Superintendent Carolyn Reedom for saying no to sexually suggestive dancing by elementary age students and the use of profanity-laced music to accompany their routines.

It's refreshing that they had the courage to act responsibly in getting students to dance in a less provocative manner even if parents saw nothing wrong with the hip-rocking routines.

It should be the responsibility of parents to say no to the premature sexual development of their children. But when they condone inappropriate gesturing by adolescents, then it is reassuring that there are voices of reason to do so for them.

My 8-year-old daughter is not allowed to go to Britney Spears concerts or watch MTV because of the suggestive nature of the performances. Kids receive the wrong message from such entertainment and they are robbed of their innocence as a result.

As for the language in the song they were using, shame on the parents who allow 10-year-olds to listen to, let alone perform to, music using profanity. It's great that the kids wanted to pay tribute to the victims of Sept. 11, but they could surely do so without being accompanied by inappropriate music.

MARY HAUSCH