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Paris Brown is a teenager – adults need to grow up Paris Brown is a teenager – adults need to grow up
(6 months later)
"Who's Mrs Thatcher?" None of my daughters – who are aged between 11 and 21 – has actually said that today, but I wouldn't have been surprised if they had. None of them engages much with the democratic process. None of them pays much attention to the news."Who's Mrs Thatcher?" None of my daughters – who are aged between 11 and 21 – has actually said that today, but I wouldn't have been surprised if they had. None of them engages much with the democratic process. None of them pays much attention to the news.
I don't blame them: as far as I can see, the world of adults and adult politicians in particular isn't exactly falling over itself to engage with the bright, sassy, slightly scary world of today's teenager. And we reap what we sow, because most of them don't give a damn. But care they must, some day, because democracy means "us"; and "us" will one day be "them".I don't blame them: as far as I can see, the world of adults and adult politicians in particular isn't exactly falling over itself to engage with the bright, sassy, slightly scary world of today's teenager. And we reap what we sow, because most of them don't give a damn. But care they must, some day, because democracy means "us"; and "us" will one day be "them".
So how refreshing it was to hear that a teenager called Paris Brown had taken on the job of youth crime commissioner for Kent, the first youngster to hold such a post in Britain. Her job was supposed to help bridge the gap in just one area of public life – the police force. I bet no teenager in Britain voted in the recent police commissioner elections; I bet no teenager in Britain knows anything about how a police force is run, or how it's governed, or what they can do to influence it. That was one of the things Brown might have been going to change.So how refreshing it was to hear that a teenager called Paris Brown had taken on the job of youth crime commissioner for Kent, the first youngster to hold such a post in Britain. Her job was supposed to help bridge the gap in just one area of public life – the police force. I bet no teenager in Britain voted in the recent police commissioner elections; I bet no teenager in Britain knows anything about how a police force is run, or how it's governed, or what they can do to influence it. That was one of the things Brown might have been going to change.
Only now she won't. Because this afternoon, less than a week after her new job was announced, Paris has quit.Only now she won't. Because this afternoon, less than a week after her new job was announced, Paris has quit.
Why? Because she did what every teenager in Britain does: she posted stupid messages on Twitter (actually that's not a misdemeanour limited to adolescents; I know plenty of fiftysomethings who do it too).Why? Because she did what every teenager in Britain does: she posted stupid messages on Twitter (actually that's not a misdemeanour limited to adolescents; I know plenty of fiftysomethings who do it too).
Anyway, Brown's Twitter messages came back to haunt her. Worse, the police decided to investigate whether she had committed a criminal offence. And so, before she's even started her job, she's stepped down.Anyway, Brown's Twitter messages came back to haunt her. Worse, the police decided to investigate whether she had committed a criminal offence. And so, before she's even started her job, she's stepped down.
Kent's crime commissioner, Ann Barnes, may appoint another young person to be their go-between, but I'd be surprised if they do. What young person, having seen what's happened to Brown, is going to take this on? What young person, these days, has an unblemished record when it comes to stupid messages posted on Twitter? Not my teenagers, I'd wager, and probably not yours either.Kent's crime commissioner, Ann Barnes, may appoint another young person to be their go-between, but I'd be surprised if they do. What young person, having seen what's happened to Brown, is going to take this on? What young person, these days, has an unblemished record when it comes to stupid messages posted on Twitter? Not my teenagers, I'd wager, and probably not yours either.
The world of adults, if it's going to interface properly with the world of 21st-century teens, is going to have to grow up a bit. When we were kids our stupid, thoughtless transgressions were committed in a space that was here today and gone tomorrow. That's not how it is for people like Brown and my daughters: what they do can stain their record forever.The world of adults, if it's going to interface properly with the world of 21st-century teens, is going to have to grow up a bit. When we were kids our stupid, thoughtless transgressions were committed in a space that was here today and gone tomorrow. That's not how it is for people like Brown and my daughters: what they do can stain their record forever.
But the adults of the world have got to be bigger than that. We've got to find a way to give teenagers what we ourselves were given – a second chance. Kent police were lucky to have Brown. Britain is lucky to have its teenagers. We've got to find a way to show them we feel lucky, instead of knocking them down.But the adults of the world have got to be bigger than that. We've got to find a way to give teenagers what we ourselves were given – a second chance. Kent police were lucky to have Brown. Britain is lucky to have its teenagers. We've got to find a way to show them we feel lucky, instead of knocking them down.
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