2nd Graders having sex in school. OMG!

Posted: 5:39 pm PST January 20, 2011Updated: 9:07 am PST January 21, 2011

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A teacher has been suspended and the Oakland police have been called in after reports surfaced of two shocking sexual incidents involving second graders at an elementary school, a school district official said Friday.

Oakland Unified spokesman Troy Flint told KTVU that a male teacher had been suspended with pay while the incidents were being investigated. The teacher has told district officials he had no knowledge of the incidents.

Students were also being questioned, he said, and the Oakland police have been called in.

A letter sent out to parents, caregivers and staff at Oakland’s Markham Elementary by the school’s Principal Pam Booker on Thursday expressed "deep regret" about two incidents that took place at the school last week but weren’t reported to officials until Wednesday.

The letter outlined two separate incidents that took place between students on the campus of the school.

"According to the allegation, the first incident involved several students who undressed, at least partially, while acting disruptively in the classroom," the letter read. "The second incident concerned two students who engaged in sexually explicit behavior, also in the classroom.

"KTVU confirmed with district officials Thursday that the sexually explicit behavior mentioned in the letter was oral sex between two second graders, a girl and a boy. Officials also confirmed that both incidents happened in the same classroom.

Parents with children who attend the school were understandably disturbed.

"How about second graders even knowing to do that?" asked student mother Tiffany Martinez.

"I still don't know how that could happen," said Alan Saunders, the father of a student at Markham Elementary. "They're imitating what they're seeing. They didn't learn it at school.

"Flint said the incidents came to light Wednesday when students told a teacher's aide, who in turn told the principal.

"It's not unheard of for children to engage in sexually explorative behavior at an early age," said Flint. "But what's particularly concerning about this incident is it occurred in a classroom, which is supposed to be a safe haven. It is an unacceptable situation."

KTVU was kept outside of the school while investigating the reports of the incidents Thursday, but heard an announcement inside summoning second grade teachers to the office.

"It's extremely, extremely important," the voice over the school public address system said. "Please come to my office. Thank you."

District officials wouldn't say if any teachers have been suspended Thursday, but did note that “action has been taken to address those adults who were present.”

The letter that was sent home Thursday stated that "The teacher in the classroom where the acts allegedly occurred will not be reporting to the site, pending the results of further investigation."

The letter also apologized for the incidents and stated the school would "take whatever actions are necessary to ensure that a similar act does not occur again."

Markham Elementary is located near the intersection of 73rd Avenue and Bancroft Avenue, one of the highest crime-ridden neighborhoods of Oakland.

District officials said test scores at the school have been rising the past two years and most parents KTVU spoke with Thursday said they have been pleased with the academic progress Markham has made.

Second graders who observed what happened or were involved in incidents were being offered counseling.

My Thoughts:

This is almost unbelievable. I am most interested in hearing further information. Who instigated these acts? The teacher, a kid in the class?  The teacher does nothing? Was this just a few of the kids in the class who stripped down and then on another day two of them performed sex acts? The teacher states he was unaware of what was happening. Was this teacher continuing to teach the other kids while this was going on? How many kids are in the class, 30, 40 or more? Was the sex acts performed in easy sight of the teacher? No other teacher or staff happens by the class room and sees whats going on?

Besides kids in 2nd grade don't typically understand or even care about sexuality, even when exposed to it by adults in passive ways, e.g. dramatic movies, television shows, advertising, etc. There had to be some personal instruction by some adult in order for this to happen. Who is/are this or these adult(s)? Parents? Teacher? Older sibling? Or did one or both of these kids come across their parents or older siblings porn collection? Even as a kid exploring your sexuality, giving head in class??? Typically you would find a hidden location with no one around to experiment, not in plain view of other students and possibly the teacher in a class room, during class... WOW that takes some balls...

I understand that law enforcement must do their investigation to ensure this is true. Should their investigation prove it to be true, and the teacher was present in the class room and knew what was going on, then at a minimum he should be arrested and prosecuted. If he had no clue of what was going on, then there is a problem in managing the class room. Are the kids in this class room out of control? How can 2nd graders be out of control??? They may not want to sit quietly, but they should be controllable, if not what does it say about our society.

However, the longer term damage to the kids is going to be the shame and guilt that parents and society will project onto them. At this age it is going to be very tricky to deal with the emotional and moral issues without harming them more deeply with moral judgment expressed to them in the way adults typically do, rather than in a tone and manner that will minimize the emotional injuries that may affect their behaviors as adults.

Sometimes it all too easy to victimize them again. I hope the school district has access to highly skilled professional child mental health services to work with the kids as well as parents and other adults that may further emotionally harm these kids.

Parents send their kids to school to learn skills for success later in life; job skills to earn a living like math, reading, history, science, language, writing, etc. But not fellatio to become a porn star; at least not in 2nd grade, senior in high school maybe, but not 2nd grade. With that said, damn, I would of liked getting head in 2nd grade or any grade for that matter. (update: the kids said they were practicing for an upcoming talent competition at the school, "Whose got talent." Not really, I made this part up.)

I had to add some levity to this horrible story.