Mom Indicted for Hiring Stripper for Teen

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A mother faces criminal charges after she hired a stripper to dance at her 16-year-old son's birthday party. Anette Pharris, 34, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and involving a minor in obscene acts. The boy's father, the stripper and two others also face charges.

``I tried to do something special for my son,'' Pharris said. ``It didn't harm him.''

About 10 people under the age of 18 were at the birthday party in September, including minors who were not related to the family, authorities said.

Police spokesman Don Aaron said minors are not permitted in adult establishments.

``A person shouldn't be allowed to circumvent that law by hiring a stripper, a lady who took all her clothes off and spent a good amount of time dancing around minors,'' he said.

Anette Pharris took photos at the party and tried to have them developed at a nearby drug store. Drug store employees notified authorities, police said.

``Who are they to tell me what I can and can't show to my own children?'' the mother said.
This raises several issues, including whether the State or parents get to make decisions about what is right and wrong, and whether or not this woman is insane, stoopid, or just a heck of a lot of fun.

I purchased my first beer at age 12, and drank it with my dad on a beach in Mexico. I wrecked a truck at age 13 cause we'd all been drinking while hunting. I routinely placed wagers at the horse track for my dad and his friends (usually from the 7th race on, when they were intoxicated enough that the walk to the ticket window was too long). I got 'lucky' just after I turned 16, with a 23 year old. So maybe my perspective is a little skewed, I grew up in the old west when things were different'.

Well, what's the Backroom verdict on mom's graduation present?

ichi