School 1960 vs. School 2007
1. Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school
parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1960 - Vice principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes
to his car and gets his own shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lockdown, the FBI is called, Jack is
hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors
are called in to assist traumatized students and teachers.
2. Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school
1960 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and
end up buddies.
2007 - Police are called, SWAT team arrives and arrests Johnny
and Mark. They are charged with assault and both are expelled even
though Johnny started it.
3. Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.
1960 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given a
good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt
class again.
2007 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie.
Tested for ADD. School gets extra state funding because Jeffrey
has a disability.
4. Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad
gives him a whipping with his belt.
1960 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to
college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed
to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's
sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to
prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.
5. Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some Aspirin to school
1960 - Mark shares Aspirin with the school principal out on the
smoking deck.
2007 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from School for
drug violations. His car is searched for drugs and weapons.
6. Scenario: Pedro fails high-school English.
1960 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to
college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by local human rights group.
Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English
a requirement for graduation is racist. US Civil Liberties Union
files class action lawsuit against state school system and
Pedro's English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Pedro
is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living
because he cannot speak English.
7. Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover Independence Day firecrackers,
puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.
1960 - Ants die.
2007 - Homeland Security and the FBI are called and Johnny is
charged with domestic terrorism. teams investigate parents, siblings
are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's
dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
7. Scenario: Johnny falls during recess and scrapes his knee. His
teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.
1960 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her
job. She faces three years in federal prison. Johnny undergoes five
years of therapy.
