Dr. Dobson on school showers

[luvnaturism]

I accidentally came across this column by Dr. Dobson. He wouldn't speak for many of us on this forum—-certainly not for me—-but he is highly influential.

It's his take on why schools no longer require showers, and truthfully it's probably as good an explanation as any.

http://www.nwherald.com/StyleSection...0936512454.php

[luvnaturism]

I accidentally came across this column by Dr. Dobson. He wouldn't speak for many of us on this forum—-certainly not for me—-but he is highly influential.

It's his take on why schools no longer require showers, and truthfully it's probably as good an explanation as any.

http://www.nwherald.com/StyleSection...0936512454.php

[Nude in the North]

Seems fair to me.
It's far better to remove the opportunity for the Bullies of the school to pick on the less developed students, than it is to Discipline them.
After all, it's the more physically developed, students that will become the Jocks and Athletes that are so essential to a school district.
Heaven forbid, we should fail an athlete simply because he's cruel to his fellow classmates.

What kind of message would we be sending our children if we rated manners, compassion, and personal hygene higher than physical development, or athletic skills.

Of course the students that are being bullied can always solve the problem by bringing a gun to school.

Sorry if I sound a little harsh, but avoiding showers isn't going to stop the bullies. They need to suffer consequesces for their actions right from the start. Before we end up with another school shooting.

Steve

[nimrod]

It is unfortutate that we live in a nation that is so repressed sexually that people equate sex with nudity. Teachers should not have to worry about being pointed out as a pediphile for making some kid take a shower, or that the same kid should feel shame about his/her body, because he/she is not as developed as his/her classmates. From what I know of nudist/naturist, is that body acceptness is part of the reason to be nude. We need to teach our children early about their bodies, that what they go threw at puberty is natural, and that it will happen when their body is ready. Remind the children, girls especially, that what they see in magizines, and on TV is not always the realty of what people look like in real life. It is really amazing what they can do with just lighting and make up, not to mention airbrushing and computers.

As for bullies, they tend to pick on a person because of an insecurity of their own, by bringing someone else down they feel better about themselves, and usually what they tease about is what they feel most insecure about, go figure. The ones that feel realy bad about themselves will bully someone physically not just verbly.

[Boreas]

That is a good explanation. I am not sure about the increased body awareness thing though, but I have not been in a highschool shower lately.

I think the possibility of being accused of sexual abuse is a much bigger reason. I can't even imagine a coach even being allowed to inspect students now. In fact, I knew a man who was charged and convicted of sexually abusing his grade seven students. He was taking them to the local university swimming pool and then helping them shower. I think he was rightly convicted for the record! Most twelve year old boys are fully capable of showering without adult help.

[NakedGary]

Still_Boreas

[Quote by Still_Boreas]

quote:

Most twelve year old boys are fully capable of showering with adult help.

Did you mean to say "Without adult help"?

.

[Bob S.]

Dr. Dobson's resonings are basically what we reasoned in our lengthy discussion here.

The other issue that Dr. Dobson did not touch upon was the attitudes of parents who give in to their children. The children do not want to do something and the parents willingly oblige.

Another problem is highlighted in this paragraph:
When I was a school psychologist, I met with a high school sophomore who absolutely refused to shower. His recalcitrance violated district policy and I was asked to identify his problem. After talking to this boy and seeing how vulnerable he was to the ridicule of his peers, I agreed that he should not be required to humiliate himself five days a week.

Instead of the good doctor counseling his patient on the reasons for his gymnophobia and possibly curing him, he accepts it as just a part of the boy's personality and gives him a free pass to allow his fears to rule his life.

He claims that in the past, this would have been the exception, but I don't think there has been a major shift in the number of kids who initially showed trepidation about public showering. The shift was within society accepting this trepidation as something unfixable and just a part of one's personality.

Bob S.

School bullies will always find some way to bully kids who are weaker or different. As a victim of bullies I know that to be a fact. Bullies feel a need to bully to make themselves feel important, and they always prefer an audience as they humiliate you.

[Ben_m]

I refused to shower in Junior High and High School myself for fear of ridicule (and it wasn't just phobia, it happened). My grades and overall academic achievement suffered greatly as a result, but I stood fast and would not shower. So, I suppose I was "one of them" - ironic isn't it? - the future nudist who has now and will shower outdoors at a naturist resort and wave at the cars driving by (LOL). And, at this point, in all honesty, even I think what goes on now with rampant and condoned poor hygiene is pathetic and disgusting and a sign of wide-spread emotional illness/issues that are not widely recognized, and are certainly going merrily on without cure/resolution.

[Boreas]

quote:

Originally posted by NakedGary:
Still_Boreas

[Quote by Still_Boreas]

quote:

Most twelve year old boys are fully capable of showering with adult help.

Did you mean to say "Without adult help"?

.

Er, yes I did. What a crazy mistake eh!

I think I shall fix that.

[P.J.]

While in junior high school, we were required to swim naked in the pool during gym class.

I hated being forced to be naked in close proximity with other boys, whether it was in the pool or the showers. As long as school staff are failing at controlling student conduct (and in many cases, they fail miserably), students should not be forced to take showers.

To make things a lot worse, there were bullies, especially among the jocks, who were the all-stars of the school, along with the delinquent crowd, who the authorities were unable to control.

Fortunately, I was not permanently scarred emotionally from the involuntary nudity (which was not forced on the females in their gym class). Howover, my bad various bad experieneces since those bygone days, have left me with an extremely low tolerance for bullies.

As for the lame argument that being subjected to the bad treatment by the neanderthal students is healthy character builder, I disagree. No student should ever feel that his safety is in jeopardy while in school.

[Rabid_Clam]

It seems sports is so fully supported in schools to promote competition. THe sports jocks are in the papers and get tons of attention where the schollar is ignored.

We need to shift our attention to education, and that is what school is for, isn't it? Not to play with a damn ball !

Competition can be instilled in grades. Compete for better grades. After all, our nation is being stomped on by nations that promote educated young and not ball players.

Sports today is not sport, it is big business. Money mongering businesses. Yet when the body quickly erodes that person is left only with the money he/she made but not a brain in the head. The educated person will do well with or with out money but for sure with education money will not be an issue any time thru life.

Those who throw a ball are useless anywhere else except a ball field. Those who are educated have value in a wide variety of forums.

If bullies are picking on others, then single the bullies out to fix that. They need pshcyological help and please give it to them. If they are allowed to continue, then they will continue through out life doing the same to others, most likely very bad legal problems will arise that we all have to pay for one way or another.

[Eric6420]

I is interesting to note that Focus on the Family is a homophobe organisation. I understand that a homophobe organisation does not like the idea of naked boys showering together naked.

[NudistGuy47]

Several things have happened this week while getting ready to swim at my local community center. The first was seeing the hs swim team in the shower after the monring practice. All were in their suits except one who seemd to be enjoying showing off a bit. Today, while I showered, the swimming class came in and I watched the line up of the guys to put their suits on in the stalls.

Having been raised in a different time, the attitude and views of being seen nude today are very different than when I showered freely through junior high and high school. It is almost comical how the gyrations go on to not be seen nude.

I do believe, IMHO, that boys should shower after PE and other activities. I do believe the parents who promote body shame by opposing the showering are a bit off when it comes to raising healthy kids.

quote:

Originally posted by Ben_m: wave at the cars driving by (LOL).

Ben,

Do the cars wave back?