A lack of suitable lyrics or a lack of respect?

When Tom Petty began singing 'Free Fallin' during halftime of the Superbowl, I was reminded of a boy I went to school with who would daily sing the first verse of that song to me. How I dreaded going to my locker outside of Mr. Rohr's room, knowing that Jeff would be waiting to serenade me, and the remainder of the day would be spent at the butt of others' jokes for the 'crush' Jeff may have had on me.

This experience is not solely unique to me; I see the same thing happen in the hallways of the school I teach every single day. The difference is that, to me, Jeff sang 'she's a good girl, loves her mama', the boys now serenade the girls with lyrics like: "Hey, you're a crazy b****, but I love the way you f*** me!"

While I was, in many cases, "one of the guys" during my school years (and heard my fair share of vulgar remarks), I could never imagine one of the boys in my class, much less my school, ever saying something like this directly to me...even if it was all in fun.

It makes me wonder:

Were high school boys more respectful fifteen years ago, or was it apparent that I had
enough self-respect that I wouldn't have allowed them to speak to me in that manner?
Most importantly, I hope the second is true.

Maybe it boils down to the difference in music played then and now?
No. While music has changed, we all still make conscious decisions about what we say
and how we treat others.

What effect do these references have on high school girls now and then later in life?
Words have power, especially to vulnerable young girls who are already struggling with
who they are and where exactly they fit in this world.

Jeff may have embarrassed me a few times in the hallway at school, but never did I feel that he thought I was anything but, "a good girl who loves her mama."