it is good to sue your former school but i personally think you should sue your parents instead. For Jake begins at home. Caring parents always recognize their children behavior better than teachers.They know best the type of friends the children move with. "show me your friend and i will show your character". The parents should have notice it. we sometime direct our fingers at easy targets and fail to address the actual source of the problem.The bottom line to these problems is poor parent supervision many children are having. I personally think school should only take about 30% of the the blames and 70 % should go to parents. If the child is in a boarding school then the school should be blame.if not the parents.
NOT ALL PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN ARE PARENTS.!!!BETTER PARENTHOOD YIELD WELL BEHAVED CHILDREN!!!

By kwabena | May 7, 2009 9:35 AM

I agree with kwabena. Our children take the examples of parents and if parents are following diciplined life with care and love for their children, the chances of such happenings would be minimal. As a parent we have duty not to just care but also look that our children get the right company.

By TriSanku | May 7, 2009 1:10 PM

Dear Kwabena,

Of course it is the parents that are to look out for their children. I do think school should become more involved in (Dutch) childrens' lives. Sueing might not be ideal, but hopefully raises more attention to the responsibility schools have.

In an individualistic society as the Dutch one is, I would appreciate more societal involvement. Even when it is forced.

Kind regards,
kira

By Kira | May 7, 2009 5:40 PM

You are who you hang around with,wether being a thief or a prostitute,besides that,most Likely her parents are just as bad

By Bob | May 7, 2009 10:00 PM

kira, yes schools should be involved but parents should share the lions share. "individual society" as you called it always point fingers at teachers whilst alots of parents are forgetting their responsibilities they own to their children. Many parents are just producing without good guidance for their children. Many parent are themselve problem for the children i know but we should to blame teachers for what go wrong in our children life .so parents wake up and train your children well

By kwabena | May 7, 2009 11:54 PM

No seriously, anyone of you all previosly commenting has ever thought of suing your parents? Unless you're forgotten heir of Heineken or exmarital member of Royal family, or something. The parents can be busy and see kido in the evening, at best strugling to meet ends, working 12h a day. Teachers are responsible for children at school and during the whole time they ought to be there. if pimps come in schools - should kids call mums and dads to come?

By Jimbo | May 8, 2009 10:08 AM

it's the headline of this piece that infuriates. This isn't an ex-prostitute, this is an abused child! She was 12 when an older boy duped her into giving sex to men who then paid him money. He kept her like that for years. No wonder she's angry and wants some retribution.

By Sarah | May 8, 2009 11:15 AM

I do agree that suing your school might not be the best way of helping other girls not to fall into loverboys hands. But I don't agree with all the people that here says that the parents are the only to blame. It's a pity Maria Mosterd's book isn't translated to English (or is it?) It's such a boom, it's staying for long in the best sellers lists. There she tells her story about how she became a prostitute. But what is more incredible of all, her mother Lucia Mosterd, also wrote a book about how her daughter from one day to the other dissappear from her house and also couldn't do anything to save her from the loverboy. She tells her story also for everybody to know how sorry she feels about her not to be able to help her daughter before. So, to make this long story short, there are many different aspects to take in account. School should be envolved, friends, parents, neighbours, society. This here in Holland happens different due to the freedom little kids have. Of course there are a lot of people to blame, but first I think you all should get more information before claiming something. Or learn Dutch so you can read more books!

By Georgina | May 8, 2009 8:11 PM

Hi, Jimbo... Suing does not replace educating, or loving, the children you chose to have. Once you have them, you are responsible for them. If you delegate that responsibility to schools because you want the money, you can't hold them responsible for your kid's behaviour because you are not there for them. They are your responsibility and although school should take measures to ensure that pimps can not recruit, your child can only make that decision if you take an active part in their growing process.

By dummy | May 9, 2009 12:51 AM

Georgina, the book in question was written to make money. It doent solve the main problem one the ground. The parents fail their role as a good parents.They are just using the worst situation to make money now. 12 years old child without good parenthood will fall prey to loveboys. I dont want to read the book from the mother but the child i will read.the mother fail her role

By kwabena | May 9, 2009 9:07 PM