Kiss Your Mom With That Mouth?

When did it become ok for children to curse?  I'm not being a prude by any means because I have the mouth of a sailor.  I am not proud of that, it's just a fact.  However, I do know when it's not ok to curse.  I don't curse in professional settings or in front of children.  I still am VERY uncomfortable cursing in front of my parents and VERY rarely curse in their presence. 

I have an "office" in one of the science buildings of the school I work at.  My door is off the main hallway so not many students walk past my door because there is only one classroom to go to and most students use the outside door to get there.  I constantly hear a barrage of curses streaming down the hallway coming out of the mouths of students.  They are NOT afraid to drop and F bomb or even four even if there is a teacher standing right there in the hallway.  It doesn't shock me anymore the fact that they curse, but it does bother me that they think it's ok.  I did not allow my students to curse when I was in the classroom.  I didn't make a big deal out of it if they did curse because you are just asking for other students to join in on the "fun".  I would give them the "look" if they did let one go to show the class my disapproval.  Then later, in private, I would speak to the student about what happened.  Since I usually have a good rapport with my students, it never became an issue in my class and students most certainly would not curse in my presence out.  Now, all I hear all day is students dropping F bombs like tomorrow is going to be the end of the world and they haven't met their cursing quotas. 

Now, some students are respectful and if I come out of my office then they will apologize, or at least they will have a look of terror on their face and have some kind of remorse.  Usually I just give them a look and ask them to watch what they are saying because you never know who is listening around the corner.  But some students will intentionally say stupid stuff when they see a teacher/adult coming like they want to get in trouble.  I know most of them just want attention and so I usually ignore it unless it is really vulgar or suspicious, but it really bothers me that kids act this way.  When did our society deem it acceptable for anyone, especially kids, to speak this way?

I'll end with a story that might help explain why this is type of behavior is acceptable.  I was pulling into the parking lot of a pack &; ship store which is close to the middle school in my neighborhood.  This boy was on the phone, I assume with an adult/guardian, announcing to the world his displeasure with his current situation.  Boy: "I'm going to bust you in the head!  How come you didn't tell us to get on the damn bus?  I'm going to walk through..."  The conversation ended there because I got back in my car.  I was dumbfounded that this child was speaking to an adult with such blatant disrespect.  I seriously wanted to walk over to the kid, rip the phone out of his hand and hit him with it.  God help my children if they EVER speak to anyone that way.