Middle School Teacher Says 'Let Your Kids Date," and the Internet Is Divided

"If they do it behind your back, then they can't come to you when they need that advice," said Jessica. "When they need that advice, they're coming to me. I'm telling them, 'Why don't you ask your parents? They're going to tell you the same thing I'm telling you, sweetheart.' They say: 'Well, I can't, it's embarrassing. My parents are going to be mad at me. They tell me I can't date, so I know I'll just get in trouble.'"

"You're doing your kids a serious disservice, telling them they're not allowed to date in middle school and in high school - even if you have good intentions," Jessica, who asked that her last name be withheld, said in a TikTok video. "Let me explain: Kids want to date and guess what? They're doing it behind your back anyway, sadly."

Banning dating for middle and high schoolers encourages secret relationships and reduces opportunities for parental guidance when adolescents need advice. Secret relationships often lead teens to seek counsel from other adults rather than their parents. Early romantic experiences function as practice for adult relationships, helping young people learn respect, boundaries, and how to evaluate partners. Discouraging dating while maintaining open communication preserves the chance for guidance and support. Public responses are mixed, including accounts of intense emotional harm after breakups, arguments that early dating teaches lessons, and extreme comparisons to permitting risky behaviors.

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