Another reason to shelter children from the media...

Last week’s news included a story out of Hamilton, OH, about a third grade boy who was expelled from his private Lutheran school after a “hit list” of teachers and fellow students was found in his desk. School officials believe no one was ever actually in danger, and they mention that the boy is known to be “troubled” and previously has been in counseling. The principal says they cannot be too careful in this day and age, while stressing that the school community is praying for the boy.

I believe the school did the right thing by expelling the boy, because sadly the principal is right – we really don’t have any way to know if a child will act on his violent thoughts and feelings. We’ve seen cases of children as young as seven intentionally acting violently to solve problems – remember the little boy in Arizona who killed his father and the father’s friend? It can happen, and a school can’t assume that a child’s “hit list” is merely an expression of anger or frustration. Hopefully, this episode will get this child the help he apparently needs.

We have to ask, though, why a little third grade boy would compile a list of people he fantasizes about hurting or even killing. What sorts of images are in his mind? Why does he think violence would solve his problems? And where did those messages and images originate?

If you’ve read my columns or blogs even a few times, you know what I’m about to say: I’m betting this boy is exposed to huge quantities of media that are inappropriate for a child his age.  Now mind you, I don’t know. The news story I read says very little, and it’s possible I’m making an unfair assumption about the level of supervision this boy gets with respect to media.

But given the statistics on children and media, it’s a good guess. According to experts, children are exposed to some six hours of media each day – that’s TV, radio, Internet, personal media players and advertising. For most kids, that’s pretty much all of the hours between the time they get out of school and the time they go to bed.

Moreover, studies confirm that kids are watching shows on TV, playing video games and visiting Internet sites that contain way too much violence, sex, profanity, and disturbing images.

If we wonder why some kids seem to have a bizarre desire to act violently, or why others have a precocious and disturbing interest in sex, or why some use foul and vulgar language, we should look no further than the steady diet of inappropriate material they’re consuming through the media right in their own homes.

Sadly, I’m one who thinks this news story is what happens when we don’t shelter children from images and ideas that are not healthy or wholesome.