You may have heard about the Washington State Supreme Court's ruling on banning parental telephone eavesdropping.  If not, you should look into it and be afraid.  What the hell are they thinking?!

A 17yr old kid assaults an old woman and steals her purse.  Some parents have an idea of who did it so they are on the look out.  A mom listens in on a conversation between this kid and her 14yr old daughter on her phone in her house which she pays for.  The kid tells the daughter what he did and where he discarded the purse.  The mom tells the authorities and they apprehend the kid.  The kid gets a lawyer to convince the court to discard the case because the information was obtained through the mom listening to a private conversation.  What the hell?!!

If the girl were in her own home talking on her own phone that she pays for, fine.  Even then, she's a minor!  It is her mother's responsibility to look out for her well being in any way she can.  If this woman overheard the kid in question saying that he was going to suicide bomb the Washington Supreme Court, do you really think they would care that the information was gathered by a parent eavesdropping?  I highly doubt it!!

We have seen the horrible things that can happen when teens aren't being watched closely enough (Columbine for instance).  Why the hell would any court tie parents hands tighter?  I just don't get it!  I don't give a flying flop what courts say, my kids don't have the same rights as I do if they are living in my house without all of the responsibilities that warrant the rights.  If they are going to use the phone lines I pay for, I have the right to listen in.  If they use the computer, I have the right to monitor what they are doing.  What is the difference?  I am sure courts wouldn't want to discourage parents from monitoring what their teens are doing in chat rooms.  How many sickos have tried to hook up with minors via the internet?

I am just totally outraged!