When I was an assistant principal at a very wealthy high school in Dallas we had a healthy rivalry in most every competition against another wealthy school in a suburb of Dallas.  Generally speaking, our school was more "old wealth," while these crosstown rivals were more "new wealth."  One night during a home basketball game, our students began a chant that reverberated throughout the gym: "new money---new money---new money..."  It was my job as an assistant principal supervising the game to squelch this very unsportsmanlike banter, but my hands were somewhat tied.  It seemed to be coming from everywhere on our side of the gym.  I was at a loss for what to do beyond signal my displeasure in a futile attempt to silence these uncouth vocalizations of teen spirit.

My burden was somewhat lifted when a similarly inappropriate chant began shortly thereafter on their side.  It was as if their retort had been planned ahead of time.  It seemingly came from their entire side of the gym: "Inbred---Inbred---Inbred..." they shouted in unison.  This was a moment when my sense of enjoying humor was clashing uncomfortably with my professional duties!  It was funny!  It was also, in my opinion, equally inappropriate.

Young people love to push limits.  Adults often set bad examples in this regard.  Our society is full of innuendo and other forms of pretending less than innocent thoughts and actions can be explained away by finding gray area between what was communicated and what could have been intended to be communicated.  Much like when the female supporters of our Lacrosse team at the school mentioned above printed and wore shirts to school proudly proclaiming themselves as "Lacrosstitutes."  Is that school appropriate?

Here is a visual example of this dilemma school personnel face is deciding where to draw the line: