Watercooler Stories

WHAT VILLAGE?

No matter what the proverb says about the village raising the child, a new survey by the YMCA and the Search Institute concludes that most U.S. parents raise their kids without turning to family, friends or community organizations unless they really have to.

"Building Strong Families," which was released on Wednesday, reported that most parents -- especially young ones and minorities -- are satisfied with the way they're bringing their kids up.

"Parents are central but often unappreciated players in kids' healthy development," said Peter L. Benson, president of Search Institute -- a Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization that promotes the welfare of adolescents. "This study underscores the many positive things parents are doing for their kids. And it challenges everyone in communities to rally together to build strong families and strong kids."

According to the study, just 36 percent of the 1,005 parents surveyed in May said they regularly turn to family for advice, support and help. One in five said they turn to friends and 11 percent said they look for answers from community resources.

Only 50 percent described their relationship with their spouse or partner as excellent. Among married parents, that rose to 56 percent.

Despite the obstacles involved in parenting, 88 percent of those surveyed said they felt they were successful parents most or all of the time. Ninety-seven percent said they shower their children with affection at least once a week -- but only 88 percent said they teach their children basic values.

THOSE CRAZY COLLEGE KIDS

Officials at Indiana University want to know if any laws were broken when an adult film company shot hardcore porn in the hallway of Teter quad on the IU campus, featuring IU students having sex with adult film performers.

The footage was shot during the first weekend of October for "Campus Invasion," which is scheduled for release some time this month. Calli Cox -- a publicist and adult performer Shane Enterprises, which operates the Web site Shane's World -- told the Indiana Student Daily she visited IU with colleagues and a film crew so they could "party with students from the No. 1 party school."

IU freshman Adam Brown, a Teter resident, told the paper the filmmakers drew students into the production.

"I don't know who the porn crew was," said Brown. "They followed some kids back from class, and they made a video on our floor. College is crazy."

Bloomington campus Chancellor Sharon Brehm accused the film company of exploiting students but Cox said all the participating students were adults who made their own decisions to perform in the video.

"One student told us he films his own adult movies in his dorm room all the time," Cox said. "These things happen on (the) campus whether we are involved or not."

Dean of Students Richard McKaig said the university will determine whether any students violated the student code and whether anyone should be punished.

Shane Enterprises visited four Greek houses last year Arizona State University. Sigma Nu, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Theta Chi were suspended for their hardcore extracurricular activities, and those whose faces were identifiable were threatened with expulsion, according to the Student Daily.

MORE CRAZY COLLEGE KIDS

Two of the oldest fraternities at the University of Virginia have been suspended by their national organizations while an investigation continues into a Halloween party at which some guests showed up in blackface, and ended up have their pictures posted online.

The photos were shot on Oct. 31 at a party thrown by Kappa Alpha and Zeta Psi. They have been taken down from the Internet, but university sources who saw them told the Washington Post that one blackface partier was dressed as Uncle Sam and two others were supposed to be tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.

The paper reported that national leaders of the fraternities, as well as Virginia students and university officials, joined in denouncing the getups.

"Obviously, I am disappointed in the choice of a few of our students to display imagery or portray individuals in a way that is very offensive and painful to other students," said Aaron Laushway, assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority life.

The university's Cavalier Daily reported the national organizations were investigating the matter -- the latest in a string of blackface incidents at college fraternities across the country. Two Greek house at Auburn University in Alabama were suspended after members attended parties dressed in blackface and Afro wigs and Ku Klux Klan robes.

Kappa Alpha and Zeta Psi -- two of the leading fraternities at Virginia -- both have extensive ties to the American South. The national Kappa Alpha Order, whose U-Va. chapter was founded in 1873, claims Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee as its "spiritual founder."

After the blackface photos were removed from the Internet, sources told the Post, photos remained showed guests at the party in costumes mocking other ethnicities. Zeta Psi is on social probation, and may perform community service but may not have any events with alcohol.

COACH BUSTED

A Houston-area high school basketball coach and two others have been charged with conspiracy to possess and deliver Ecstasy, the Houston Chronicle reported.

FBI agents arrested Celeste Renee Scott, 24 -- a basketball coach at Taylor High School in the Houston suburb of Alief -- at her apartment Tuesday. Agents also arrested Scott's roommate Sonia Brown and a third suspect, Toan Nguyen, 22.

An FBI spokesman told the paper there was no evidence that Scott was selling drugs at school.

She has been dismissed without pay by the Alief Independent School District, according to district spokeswoman Susan Castro. Taylor High assistant athletic director Walter Heintschel said Scott had already had been relieved of her coaching duties Monday over job performance issues.