Tuesday, April 22, 2003

That's Outrageous!

The Reader's Digest used to (and may still) have a feature called "That's Outrageous!" which detailed some of the ridiculous lengths people will go to in enforcing various codes.

Phyllis Shafley's column today is repleat with examples worthy of the title, all of them referring to taking "zero tolerance" policies too far in elementary schools. Here are the first two:
    A first-grader at Struthers Elementary School in Youngstown, Ohio, was suspended for 10 days for taking home a plastic knife from the school cafeteria in his book bag. The 6-year-old wasn't threatening anyone; he just wanted to show his mother he had learned how to spread butter on his bread.

    A third-grader at O'Rourke Elementary School in Mobile, Ala., was given a five-day suspension for violating the substance abuse policy after classmates reported that he took a "purple pill." His offense was taking a multivitamin with his lunch.
Go read the column to see the rest of the ridiculousness.

Has anyone ever heard of prudence and its application?

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