MTV’s ‘Skins’: Kiddie Porn or Real Life for Teens?

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MTV’s new hit show “Skins” is meant to push boundaries.  But the Parents Television Council is saying the show may be child pornography and they are asking Congress to investigate. The scripted show features real teenagers - ages 15 to 19 - drinking, taking drugs, and having sex.   Executives at MTV are apparently worried enough that they asked the show producers to tone down some explicit content, especially in episode #3, which is set to air on January 31, according to the New York Times. "The Today Show" takes a look at the developing controversy. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Inside an Underage Drinking Party

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If you’d like to know what happens at a teenage drinking party when the parents aren’t around, check out the latest event from the Cobb Alcohol Taskforce.  The Taskforce Youth Council plans to stage a mock underage drinking party inside a Marietta home.  The kids are prepared to show you what goes on, and answer questions. The event is free, and only for adults, on the evening of Saturday, February 12.  Registration required, click here for more info.

Teen Sex and Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Truth or Consequences

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What teens say about their sex lives may not always be true and could jeopardize their health. Researchers have found inconsistencies between self-reported behaviors and laboratory-confirmed STD results. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health surveyed more than 14,000 young people about their sexual activity. After completing the survey, they all submitted a urine sample to researchers. The results are astounding.

Mother and Daughter Face Drug Charges for Bringing Ibuprofen to School

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A 12-year-old girl with cramps brought Ibuprofen to her middle school in Columbus, Ga. and is now facing drug charges. Her mother, who provided her with the pills, has been charged with one count of distributing a dangerous drug, according to the Ledger-Enquirer. School officials found the pill bottle in the girl's purse, containing 800-milligram tablets of Ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is classified as a dangerous drug if a single dose is more than 200 milligrams, according to state law.

Survey Finds Physical Bullying Far More Common Than Online Bullying

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Kids are more likely to face a bully in person than online.   The 2009 OJJDP National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence surveyed almost 4,450 kids nationwide, between the ages of 10 and 17.  Here are some highlights:

21.6% said they had been physically bullied. 19.7% reported being teased or emotionally bullied. Kids between the 14 and 17 were more likely to be harassed online.  7.9% of this group admitted being bullied online. Boys were more likely to be bullied or threatened physically, where girls were more likely to be victims of internet harassment.

Forsyth Investigator Educates Teens, Parents About Cyber Dangers

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The United States Constitution might be the law of the land, but some of its basic provisions don’t prevail in Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Jeff Roe’s home. “In my house my two children have no Fourth Amendment rights,” quips the father of a 10-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. “They know that I have the right to log onto any of their email accounts at any time. I can go into their room and inspect the contents of anything that I want to at any time. A lot of parents say they don’t want to invade their children's privacy; I say it’s called being a parent.”

That same in-your-face-style shines through in the community seminars he has conducted on the sheriff’s department’s behalf for the past four years.

Neighborhood Summit Cries Out for Change: Community Gets Blunt About Teen Crime & School Problems

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Low graduation rates and a teen crime spree in Atlanta brought more than 100 community leaders and concerned citizens together for the Strengthening Families and Communities Summit Thursday. “We need to give love and support to these kids and educate them that anything is possible,” said Evelyn Wynn-Dixon, Mayor of Riverdale, Ga. She was part of a town hall meeting and her words became a theme for the day. Pamela Perkins, ICM Coordinator of the Interfaith Children’s Movement, led the School Dropout Prevention workshop, where she and other attendees got candid about the problems.

“This has to start with community support,” Perkins said. “We have got to come together and make a cohesive effort to help these children succeed in school and graduate.”

The Georgia Department of Education reports the state graduation rate at 75.4 percent.

Facebook Bullies Arrested After Victim Hunts Them Down

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When Ally Pfeiffer saw a Facebook page under her own name that made hateful and harassing comments about her weight and appearance, she cried.  But not for long.  The 18-year old college student decided to find out who was impersonating her online and who set up the phony Facebook account using a cow in place of her picture. Ally tells WFSB-TV how she tracked the IP address and discovered two of her high school friends were behind the brutal prank.  She turned the information over to police in Bristol, CT.  They arrested two University of Connecticut students, Jeffrey Martone and Sarah Johnson who now face criminal charges. The Bristol Press reports on the simple steps Ally took to solve the crime. The suspects used a fake Gmail account created in her name.  She clicked on “Forgot Password,” guessed the answer to the security questions, opened the email and Facebook accounts, and changed the passwords.   Then she used a free IP address tracker. Ally talked about her ordeal on the Today Show.

Vote for the Best Teen Video on Underage Drinking

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High schoolers have produced some pretty creative videos about underage drinking and parent responsibilities. They are posted on  SchoolTube.  The Cobb Alcohol Taskforce is sponsoring a Youth PSA Contest and it’s time for you to vote for your favorite one. The video with the highest number of views will win a $300 prize. There will also be a runner up and a third place winner. Some of these teens have pulled out all the stops.

Child Welfare Agencies urged to Test Parents for Drugs

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Studies show a majority of kids involved in child welfare services are affected by parents who abuse drugs, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA released a new publication, Substance Abuse Specialists in Child Welfare Agencies and Dependency Courts. It recommends a collaboration between child welfare agencies, drug abuse counselors and parents. “The purpose of co-locating substance abuse specialists is to ensure that parents are assessed as quickly as possible, to improve parent engagement and retention in treatment, to streamline entry into treatment, and to provide consultation to child welfare and dependency court workers,” the publication explains. SAMHSA has also released Drug Testing in Child Welfare: Practice and Policy Considerations, which urges child welfare agency policymakers to use drug testing in child welfare practices.