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No-cussing clubs catch on at schools
Staff writer
sbeveridge@observer-reporter.com
To heck with fretting too much about kids who let slip with a curse word upon occasion.
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"I have a problem with put-down words, the 'n' word, words that have the power to hurt people real fierce," said Mary Jo Podgurski, president of Washington Hospital's Teen Outreach program.
That about sums up her impression of no-cussing clubs that have been forming rapidly at schools across the United States. They were spearheaded by a kid in South Pasadina, Calif., who started the first club two years ago at his middle school because he doesn't like dirty language.
"It bothered me so much that one day I challenged them to stop!" the boy, McKay Hatch, states on his Web site, nocussisng.com.
Since then, McKay claims, the clubs have more than 20,000 members in all 50 states, as well as a handful of foreign countries. No doubt, some of them have formed as a result of the huge amount of publicity he has generated, including a guest appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
The boy even has an online rap video showing him leading a small group of kids through lyrics, which include, "You want to hang with us? Don't cuss!"
Those who join take a pledge not to cuss, swear, use bad language or tell dirty jokes.
"Clean language is the sign of intelligence and always demands respect," the pledge reads. "I will leave people better than I found them."
So much for the days when parents washed kids' mouths out with soap for saying filthy words. But McKay's efforts, it seems, have not been bringing joy to his world.
The boy and his family have infuriated people to the point that they have received death threats, Christian writer Shirley Buxton of Crestline, Calif., announced on her blog in a January post.
"I have written about this remarkable young man before, and have received more negative and vulgar comments concerning this subject than about any other I have addressed," Buxton wrote.
CNN went on to report in March that someone hacked into nocussing.com and planted information that directed prostitutes to his home.
"But like I said, these are bullies and they wanted me to be scared and I wasn't going to let them win," McKay said to a CNN reporter during questioning about the threats.
His message of civility doesn't seem to be catching on at schools in Washington County.
"What's the point?" said Andy MacBeth, an English teacher at McGuffey High School. "I had a kid today call me an (expletive) when I told him to get off his cell phone."
Meanwhile, Podgurski senses nocussing.com focuses too much on making money for McKay, and she wonders who is mentoring him. The site offers free memberships but urges club leaders to find sponsors to pay for T-shirts or school assembly packages.
She raised the subject at Teen Outreach's executive board meeting in April, and it resulted in a "spirited discussion" among the members, who are between the ages of 14 and 20.
They reached a consensus that "there are a lot of hurtful words that should be included - respect is not just about cuss words," Podgurski said.
"If this is about self-discipline, that's fine. If it's about judging others, it's not OK," one of the board members said.
"Who decides which words are dirty and wrong?" another said.
Cussing : 5/25/2009
I hope the kid was sent home that cussed at the teacher. It is time that the administrators and teachers take on the problems head on. This liberal stuff has to end. The trouble with American schools is the adults are afraid of the kids and parents.
just my thoughts : 5/26/2009
The sad fact is that its not the schools that can teach the children how to act in society. Yes, they can give them the education and the proper words to use, but the cannot regulate the ability for them to speak. The majority of all childrens social skills come from the household. Whether it be from parents, sibilings, tv, radio, etc. Teachers and administration cannot be blamed when a child that goes through a school has a different teacher every year. When one teacher begins to make progress it is time to pass the child on to one that may not try nearly as much to get through. Cussing is not appealing to most people and in most cases it has the opposite effect as far as what most children are using it for and that is to look "cool" by making them look unintelligent. I think that the children that are participating in the above group are going to see directly how they will receive more respect by using the proper choice of words in their futures. I don't know what the answer is to this "problem", but it my opinion it has to start at home.
no cussing : 6/9/2009
way to go. i have been thinking the same about movies and video games. someone need to bring hollywoods attention to the fact that kids do listen to what they say. they need to just stop.
