Foul-Mouthed Teen May Go to Jail

WILMINGTON, N.C. - A teenager may go to jail for using foul language with a high school teacher. Glenn Gattis and his parents don't deny that he cursed or has had other disciplinary problems at Ashley High School. But they say the misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct is an overreaction.



The 17-year-old Gattis says he became frustrated and used bad language when he got in trouble for being late to class again. He said he was ultimately stopped by deputies working as school resource officers, who gave him a citation for using language meant to provoke violence. He was also suspended for three days.


Gattis' mother, Judy Lewis, said she could understand if her son had to serve detention at school. But he could get up to 30 days in jail. The family has hired a lawyer to fight the charge.


School officials declined to comment.

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Really, aren't there worse things than that? So teenagers may be dealing with drugs and alcohol and doing all sorts of crazy stuff but they go to jail for swearing. Sure

Shows what a stupid world we live in when things like this can happen.

Who is it that decides certain words are "bad" or "swear words" anyway?

There was a great episode of the Jim Henson show Dinosaurs where the baby heard someone on TV say the word Smoo, which apparently was a dirty word as it meant the dirt on a dinosaurs feet. There was a huge campaign to get it banned. That was a great show, they did an episode about religion too that was funny.

Anyway, I think that people need to lighten up and realize it's just words. I mean even here many words are banned: **** shit dick bastard cunt bollocks piss. See how many of them got through.

(a bit off topic I know - but that show was great )

I don't get it either, the "bad" word thing I mean...

Nothing is banned here in Denmark, if you want to say F*** on national tv or radio - go right ahead, nothing is 'beeped' out...

There are ways to get round the censor.


**Not when edited by Mouse**

well be carefull with what you say these days
sometimes the world is so strange :P

Yeah, same here. I don't get it either. But I can understand it's not seen as politically correct, but I'll never get how a teenager is facing jail for that!

I don't swear, because it doesn't come naturally to me, but I agree with Neil - it's just a bunch of words.

LMAO! Quality!

f ucking and sh itting may be the most natural things in the world but it's still generally accepted that these are negative examples of other words that can be used.

The kid's obviously got no respect for authority and while i think 30 days in jail is a bit harsh, i wont lose any sleep over it n it could probably give him the kick up the arse he needs.

back in the day if he'd done that he'd have got the belt across his arse.

It's a matter of respect.