Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Zero Tolerance Needs To Be Reviewed

Currently Reading: Jackie Collins' The Love Killers. Somehow, I missed this one. I own all of her others, my favorites being Rock Star and the Lucky Santangelo series.

Word Count: The typed longhand turned out to be 300 words, but I also had to type up two short stories, a grand total of 1986 words. Today, I hope to at least finish the scene I began yesterday! Then I'll reward myself with Barb's book, Linked.


Seriously. A six year old Cub Scout has been suspended, simply because he was excited about his new camping tool and took it to school? Aren't we taking this a little too far?

Now, granted, there are some wily kids out there who will see this story, or have even tried the 'innocent' act already. But if teachers know their students' characters, I'm sure they could tell a con from an innocent act! The kid had no hesitation giving it to his teacher; the mother did not know he had taken it from the kitchen counter; the kid's only in first grade! So why suspend him, put him in alternative school, and label him a 'potential troublemaker', when the only thing he wanted to do was eat with his new Cub Scout utensil?

In other news, I saw the new 'luxury' dorm at Purdue. And I'm both appalled and envious.

For only an extra $5000, a college kid can now have:
-Flat screen TV
-Private room (no roommate)
-Huge living room
-Private bathroom
-Maid service
-Free laundry

And here I thought my suite in college was 'luxurious', because we had a private bathroom, and at one time, we moved all the beds to one side and used the other as a 'living room/pantry' area. But after a while, we were tired of the cramped bedroom area and moved the other two back. And when I transfered to another university, I lived for two years in a more 'traditional' setting, with only one roomie and the bath down the hall. I adjusted.

And during three summer sessions, I had the opportunity to live in two other dorms. One was on the ground floor and slightly larger; For the second session, my roommate left and I had the place to myself. I actually missed her after one week; it's nice when you room with your BFF and you don't have to 'search' for someone to eat with in the cafeteria. But the third session, a year later, I had the opportunity to be in a Z shaped room, which was nice, because we could have our own TV's and no 'volume wars'.

Would I have liked to have had the option of the 'luxury suite'? Sure! But living with roommates provided a support system; instant companions (I was lucky we all liked each other; others aren't so fortunate); and we had a taste of life on our own. What college grad instantly gets maid service and the latest technology, unless they or their parents can afford it?

My oldest will hopefully be heading off to Purdue this year. Will we shell out the extra bucks? Ummm, no. He might even end up living with his grandparents if he doesn't get into a dorm, but since the grandparents still have lives of their own, I know he won't be coddled (too much, anyway!). And even if he doesn't get in, there are other schools who are interested in him.

But the luxury dorm? Maybe his senior year. It's called an off-campus apartment.

Today's To-Do List:
-Finish laundry (one load left!)
-Finish scene in Ch 6 of CR
-Grocery shopping (yesterday was a holiday, so unemployment money arrives today)
-Paying bills (fun, fun...)
-Taking S to get second Gardisel shot
-Laptop Society meeting

Mona Risk has some RomantiCon pics up! Go over and see them here:)

2 comments:

Linda Kage said...

It does seem crazy for punishing a FIRST GRADER for something he probably didn't even realize he did wrong. Times are definitely changing.

Molly Daniels said...

Insane, isn't it? I remember taking my Girl Scout knife to school, and my hubby remembers if a boy didn't have the Swiss Army Knife in his pocket or possession, he was considered a 'sissy'.