Kathryn Jean Lopez of Seth Leibsohn and Kathryn Jean Lopez here.

We didn’t make that point so Prejean is not held responsible for what she did at 17. Or 21. We say that because every 17-year-old can use some more experienced wisdom guiding them. I can’t help but think that a 17-year-old girl who has a healthy relationship with a parent or someone else who commands respect wouldn’t have a photo like that taken.

But, then again, Miley Cyrus had her father present on the photo shoot and his more experienced moral judgment was absent anyway. It’s not foolproof.

We shouldn’t pretend that high-school seniors are fourth graders, but we shouldn’t pretend they are 30 — or even 25 — either.

My high-school history teacher always argued that “kids” shouldn’t be allowed to drink, drive, or date until they are 24. I don’t really agree — and you can imagine it wasn’t a popular view at Domincan Academy either — but once I was 25, I did see her point.