YouTube stupidity

[BarleySugar]

I heard on the BBC news last night about some stupid boys who'd posted several films of themselves making molotov cockatails and fire bombs in our area. I had a look and although it wasn't immediately apparent from the videos who was involved, by checking out some from the same group, which were prefectly innocent, of them sledding in the snow, I recognised a couple. At school in my lesson I mentioned to one boy that he should be more careful of what he posted on Youtube. He was amazed I knew who had been involved. As I pointed out to him, if I could work it out, using pretty basic detective skills, it wasn't surprising that the authorities had worked it out as well. It is bad enough doing stupid things, but then advertising yourself doing them is even worse!

[Jeanied]

They can be such twits, can't they Barley Sugar! Old enough to do really daft and dangerous things and naive enough to think they can get away with it all the time!
Youf, eh!

[FionaH]

Never ceases to amaze me how really stupid teenage boys can be

[di]

Oh how I'm looking forward to those years

[Jeanied]

They can also be very touchingly sweet! When they are not being all hormonal that is...

[organic]

Daft in the extreme.
Me and some mates used to get up to some really daft things back in't day but broadcasting it to the world? Nah! Too much risk of being caught and having the stuffing knocked out of us for it... and that was without the internet!

[OllieMartin]

We boys learn most of our lessons from doing it wrong the first time (or two).
We hate being told what to do, we hate taking advice, we'd much rather find out for ourselves even if it does involve fire, the police, or some kind of hospital visit.
That may explain why I've ticked off all three and no-longer throw suspicious bottles of liquid onto open fires, play knock and run or mess around in farmers' barns.

[Liza]

I am so cross ! My son and three other friends were messing about fighting at lunch time at school (13 yrs ) another older boy, nothing to do with the boys videoed them and posted it on youtube!

A member of the public saw it, went into the school and complained. Now my son and other three boys have to write a letter and apologise !

Where is the sense in that ! Or am I wrong ?

[organic]

Annoying, unnecessary and bloody stupid are a few of the more repeatable words that come to mind.

Personally I'd be inclined to tell the school to shove their apology and that they should be having words with the one who posted it to youtube (why was he using a camera in school anyway? We'd have been put in the stocks for that when i was a lad, and I left high school in the 90s!) but I'm a stubborn, belligerent sod about stupidity like that.

Quite apart from that - what kind of pathetic, no-life eejit surfs youtube to see videos of boys scrapping and then complains to the school about it?

[OllieMartin]

You should sue the lad for invasion of privacy and whatever other laws he's broken by doing it. That'd teach him!

[Liza]

I am absolutely seething about this now, my son ain't no angel I know but a typical young teenager.

He hardly gets in to trouble at school so when he had to come home and tell me he was very worried as he genuinely thought he was in the wrong.

I reasured him that I was not cross and that it was good that he was honest and told me.

[northepaul]

On the 'How stupid teenage boys can be' lighter theme, my son (whose 19) came home from uni in December with NO COAT and NO SOCKS!! Doh!

[bobleponge]

Again on a lighter note, and for a sense of equality I give you the following.

My youngest daughter was around 13, and came downstairs one morning ready for school.
As she walked down I saw her right leg, which was filthy. Gave her a bit of chewing out, get upstairs and wash it, its disgusting. Which she duly did.
Walked downstairs 2 minutes later with the left leg leading ..... Yup, she'd only washed one leg.
I still smile when I think of it.

I do agree though that on balance teenage boys are much stupider than teenage girls, we just seem to have the knack, its probably genetic.

[Liza]

I am absolutely seething about this now, my son ain't no angel I know but a typical young teenager.

He hardly gets in to trouble at school so when he had to come home and tell me he was very worried as he genuinely thought he was in the wrong.

I reassured him that I was not cross and that it was good that he was honest and told me.

He has now come home from school today and has been told they will all have detention, the kid that took the film on his mobile phone is away still due to the flights/volcanic ash.

I am thinking of writing an Email to the teacher and refusing the permission for detention or am I making a mountain out of it ?

I value your opinions guys !

[Jeanied]

Most schools take a firm stance on any kind of fighting, Liza - understandably so. The boys involved need to take the rap for that one. However I feel it would be entirely reasonable for you to insist the school takes an equally firm stance on the boy who filmed the event and posted it on youtube. I am sure schools are having to deal with all sorts of invasions of privacy and cyber bullying and you as a parent are entitled to ask for clarification on their policies and processes for dealing with this. If you are not satisfied with their response, then you have the right to complain to the chair of governors.