If there is one universal constant when it comes to human nature, it has to be our ability to take any issue and blow it completely out of proportion. This week's steaming ball that was run into the end zone, through the gate, out to the parking lot and down the road a mile was what happened in Texas with Aiden Steward.
For those of you that might have missed the social media frenzy the past seven days, Aiden Steward is a nine year old in the fourth grade who was suspended from school. Yes, that's right, a fourth grader suspended. Now, when I hear that such a drastic measure has been taken against the actions of a nine year old, my mind automatically goes to worse case scenario. The child had brought a gun to school, became extremely violent toward another child and although it may surprise me for a couple of seconds might have had drugs. These would be reasonable and acceptable reasons for such an action to name a few, but what Aiden did was far worse than the fore mentioned. He did the unthinkable. Aiden used his imagination.
After seeing the latest Lord of the Rings movie, Aiden brought his reproduced "one ring" to school and told one of his classmates that he could make him disappear by putting the ring on his head. Overhearing this conversation, one of the faculty brought the incident to the attention of principle Roxanne Greer who quickly took action against Aiden. Not only did she determine that he was in violation of the schools zero tolerance policy, she also declared that he had committed a terrorist act. Now that's not just going off the proverbial scholastic deep end, that's full blown Rose DeWitt Bukater swan diving off the back of the Titanic.
In the microscopically possible schools defense, Aiden's punishment may have been brought on by his prepubescent record. Yes, my loyal reader, little Aiden has some grade school priors. Although his family just moved to the area and he has only been attending this school for the past five months, this latest incident is his third suspension. The first two on his academic wrap sheet were not as severe though. He was allowed to serve them in school which most of us refer to as In School Suspension or ISS. Now, lets break these first two infractions down, shall we?
The first incident that attracted his new faculty's attention was when he made the grave social error of calling one of his classmates black. His punishment? One day ISS. Now I can understand a certain amount of confusion, corrective or possibly even disciplinary action if indeed the child he was referring to was in fact, not black. But he was. Why then was this boy disciplined for calling some one what he ethnically was. What was he supposed to say? That he was Japanese? Or would he have gotten two days ISS for an inaccurate ethnic verbal outburst. Most of the..... as a matter of fact, all of the black people I know call themselves black. When did "black" become offensive? Did I miss something? Did the rules change while I wasn't paying attention? It's bad enough that we have to keep every other word that comes out of our mouths in check for the sake of political correctness, but now we can't even call people what they actually are? And for that matter what they call themselves if we aren't a member of that race? It's one thing to play the prejudice card based on derogatory comments and actions. It's an entirely different and a far more dangerous thing not to let our children explore the differences between our races. Difference creates curiosity, curiosity creates learning about one another's cultures, learning creates open minds, open minds create tolerance, acceptance, friendship and peace. Well! We can't be having any of that in Texas!
Aiden's second school yard slip up was bringing his copy of The Big Book of Knowledge by John Farndon and Angela Koo to school. While studying about the solar system in class and wanting to impress his teacher, he brought in the book to show that he was doing research at home on the subject. Instead of commending Aiden for his study practices, upon the realization that the book contained a picture of a pregnant woman, it was considered inappropriate, against school policy and Aiden was given his second ISS. This action almost begs to pose the question of what exactly do the people of Texas tell their children about pregnancy? This opens up a huge yellow rose colored door of possibilities. Do they still pass down the Stork story? Pixar's Partly Cloudy was a really cute story but do they really expect their children to accept that as reality? I recall a book my mother showed me when I was six called The Stork Didn't Bring You and that was published in the fifties.... so maybe not. Maybe they utilize the Cabbage Patch theory.... no.... then they'd have to explain all those weird looking dolls. I vaguely remember a ploy in where you bought your baby at the hospital. Would that one fly? Whatever story they use, one of the above or one that hasn't made up north to us Yankees yet, however they explain to their kids why mommys getting larger is obviously better than the truth. We can't have that in Texas either.
More likely than not, what probably got under this particular school's administrative skin was the section suggesting evolution. It amazes me to this day that creationists simply will not accept the idea of evolution. Seems to me that if your willing to accept that god created all life on earth it's not that far of a jump to believe that same life evolved. Especially when you have the fossil record to fall back on as that almighty proof you've been looking for all these years. Some one should really tell these people that the Scopes trial was argued ninety years ago. Guess it hasn't made it down to Texas from Tennessee yet. Hope it gets there soon.
The Washington Post stated that this zero tolerance incident poses a far greater threat to our children's education than merely imaginary rings. I submit it's far worse than that. When we allow our schools to have the ability to quash our children's imagination, have the power to punish our children for daydreaming or pretending, we are allowing them to take away the very thing we should be holding most dear...... their childhood. By allowing these practices we do to them an injustice that cannot be undone. Our children's lives are structured quite enough these days for my taste. We have to allow our children to be children. It's hard enough growing up with all the angst that goes along with being a child. The last thing they need is adults trying to get them to do it faster and mask it with good intentions.
As for the faculty of Kermit Elementary School.... yes, Kermit (fitting, huh?) in Texas that seems to think Aiden's got Al Qaeda on hold and that one child can make another disappear with a ring, I have a couple of secrets to let you in on. First, there are no magic rings. Also there is no Easter Bunny, there is no Santa Clause and although Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson may disagree, there has been quite a bit of evidence to dispute the existence of the Tooth Fairy. But this doesn't mean that we shouldn't let our children believe in them. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, my daughters a pirate and she's making me walk the plank. Good thing she doesn't go to school in Texas.
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