CALIFORNIA is chemically castrating sex offenders, so Jonathan Prevette should consider himself plucky only to be deprived of a colouring session and an ice, cream party for his sexual harrassment offence.
His age may have had something to do with it. Jonathan is a cherubic blond six year old who has become a TV celebrity for kissing a girl on the cheek.
Jonathan says the unnamed girl asked him to kiss her and that he was showing friendship, but a teacher reported him to the principal.
Jonathan's mother, Jackie, says the school, in Lexington, North Carolina, over reacted by banishing him to a room on his own, where he missed colouring and an ice cream party. But a school spokeswoman, Ms Jane Martin, said "a six year old kissing another six year old is inappropriate behaviour. Unwelcome is unwelcome at any age."
The rules are outlined in a handbook given to each child, which parents sign, confirming that they explained what is and is not acceptable, Miss Martin said.
Mrs Prevette says she can understand a sexual harassment rule directed at older students but she will ask the school board to make allowances for children in third grade and below. "Can't you just imagine children skipping down the hall holding hands? Isn't that just Norman Rockwell America?" she asked.
The media smacked their lips at a juicy story. "Loose lips", leered USA Today. "No bliss from boy's kiss" rhymed the Washington Post. "Consensual peck called harassment," tut tutted the Washington Times and also waxed poetical: "Boy, 6, dismissed for giving miss a kiss".