We at Minnesota 2020 examine topics that move Minnesota’s public policy debate forward. Does streaking fit the bill?
St. Francis administrators are wrestling with the problem of streakers at three Saints football games this season. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports one of the teens could be charged with criminal sexual conduct because of his nudity.
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The problem does not stop there. When one 17-year-old was arrested for streaking at the Sept. 25 homecoming game, more than 500 angry students roared out of the stands and bull-rushed the two officers. One member of the mob, a 17-year-old student, was arrested for obstruction with force, disorderly conduct, possession small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press is reporting that one teen could be charged with fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct for exposing himself to a minor under the age of 16. If convicted, he’d have to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
The Star Tribune said the high-paced hijinks started after a streaker struck during last year’s homecoming game. Another streaker hit the field at the first game of the season. Another streaking incident followed at one of the team’s away games.
Police Chief Jeff Harapat said this isn’t the type of behavior that he and others want to shrug off.
“At what level of a crime does that stop?” he told the Star Tribune. “For example, if you’re at McDonald’s and having a Happy Meal with your kids and some adult male gets kicked out because he isn’t wearing a shirt. And he obviously isn’t right in the head and he goes outside, pulls his pants down and pushes his butt up against the glass while you’re eating. … Now tell me what the difference is when we fill a stadium with parents, minor children, and some very small children and we have naked people running across the field,” he said.
School officials received calls from “disgusted parents,” complaining that they brought their child to a “G”-rated event. District Superintendent Edward Saxton said the students, all boys, received suspensions ranging from one to 10 days. Harapat pointed out that the last football game was streaker-free.
What does streaking have to do with Minnesota educational policy? Tell us what you think.
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