Another gem from TK

This landed in my email from TK today. I know it could be viewed as a joke but read it through and see if you don't recognise worrying elements of reality!

SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2007

Scenario:
Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957
- Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007
- School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to Jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for Traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario :
Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1957
- Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.


Scenario:
Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957
- Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.


Scenario:
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - 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 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 affair with psychologist.


Scenario :
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario:
Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation
is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher.. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given
diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario:
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2007- BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario:
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

8 comments:

Tim Atkinson said...

Many a true word...

Jennytc said...

Very true! :)

Yorkshire Pudding said...

It would be so easy to translate these Americanised differences into an English (or even a Welsh!) context. The one about ritalin really struck a chord with me - why can't folk simply accept that pupil A is either bad, high-spirited or mischievous and does not require dosing up with some very questionable medication produced by a profit-hungry pharmecutical company?

Jennytc said...

Because, over here at least, families get extra allowances for any child they have who has been 'diagnosed' with ADHD!

Ellee Seymour said...

yes, all so true. Do have a wonderful Christmas Jennyta. x

Jennytc said...

You too, Ellee!

Jay said...

Why is it that the powers-that-be cannot see this happening?

*Beats head against wall*

Jennytc said...

Think of all the people this approach keeps in jobs, Jay - Health and Safety, psychiatrists, all sorts of penpushers and paper-movers. (Cynical? Moi?)

Plaster board and dust

So, we're still no further forward on the British Gas smart meter front and I've given up making non-existent appointments with them...