A new "trend" has been hitting social media lately with pictures popping up on Facebook of teens holding signs describing their bad behavior. A Florida couple are making headlines after a picture went viral of their 13-year-old daughter (whose name is not being released) is seen holding a sign on the side of a busy interstate.
The incident which happened in March shows the teen holding a hand-written sign read "I'm a Self-entitled teenager w/no Respect for authority. I'm also super smart, yet I have 3 D's because I DON'T CARE" (The photo can be viewed here).
Gentry and Renee Nickell were tired of their daughter's disrespectful behavior and poor grades and decided to make her stand on the side of the road for 90-minutes. The father stood by the girl the entire time as motorists stopped and took pictures of the girl. Police were called to the scene but left once they realized the teen was not in any danger.
The mom defended their actions by saying they didn't know what else to do to get through to the teen. These types of "teen shaming" acts have been getting mixed reactions from parents. Some feel the "tough love" is necessary for some teenagers while others feel it is crossing the line and will only make things worse.
Similar situations have happened in other states across the country as well. In Oklahoma an 8-year-old boy was sent home earlier from school for calling his teacher a bad name. According to KMOV, a CBS-affiliated television in St. Louis, the boy's father was so upset he forced the boy to stand on the side of the road with a sign describing his behavior at school for two hours.
The boy was allowed water breaks every half-hour as well as bathroom breaks and a lunch break. He was allowed to leave at the same time school would have let him out.
In South Florida, two brothers were also forced to hold signs on the side of a road after their father got fed up with their disrespectful behavior in school. The boys' father told WSVN, a Fox-affiliated television station is Miami, that he hoped the unwanted attention would help the boys improve their behavior.
