posted March 12, 2008 06:58 PM            

How about suspending an honors student for buying candy.

God, we have these ninnie nannies poking their noses in everywhere...everywhere their noses don't belong. These little Nazi fascist Progressives firmly believe they know what's best...for everyone else but there's not a shred of evidence they know much of anything.

Conn. Student Suspended For Buying Candy In School
Stripped Of Title As Class Vice President, Barred From Honors Dinner

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) ¯ The New Haven schools superintendent said Wednesday that he will review a principal's decision to suspend an eighth-grade student for buying candy in school.

Michael Sheridan was stripped of his title as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner and suspended for a day after buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate.

The New Haven school system banned candy sales in 2003 as part of a districtwide school wellness policy, said school spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo.

Shelli Sheridan, Michael's mother, told the New Haven Register that he is a top student with no previous disciplinary problems.

"It's too much. It's too unfair," she said. "He's never even had a detention."

Superintendent Reginald Mayo said Wednesday that Sheridan Middle School principal Eleanor Turner just wanted to keep students safe.

He said she warned students repeatedly after the school experienced a rash of candy sales in the fall. There were also worries about those selling the candy, especially after a student's wallet was stolen on the bus.

"She had concerns about the safety of students carrying large amounts of cash in school," Mayo said. "The question is, was the punishment too harsh? That's something we need to evaluate."

Mayo said he hopes to resolve the situation quickly. Michael's suspension has been reduced from three days to one, but he has not been reinstated as class vice president.

He said he didn't realize his candy purchase was against the rules, but he did notice that the student selling the Skittles on Feb. 26 was being secretive.

An administrator busted Michael with the candy in his pocket. His mother says the student who sold him the Skittles out of a lunch box was also suspended.

A copy of the district's policy states that "no candy or junk food fundraisers will be allowed on school grounds" and that only healthy snacks will be sold in vending machines.

posted March 13, 2008 02:17 PM            

But don't worry, we can all eat as much junk as we like at home, so no need for panic just yet.

posted March 13, 2008 02:37 PM            

Show us that the school districts are capable of and are doing a credible job in their primary function of educating in academic subjects...which they are not..and leave decision making about food selection to parents or the students themselves.

What's next, a requirement that every student in public schools eat 5 servings of vegetables a day?

I'm no fan of the public school systems in the United States. They don't rise to the level of mediocre baby sitters.

posted March 13, 2008 03:56 PM            

School clears kids in contraband candy caper
NEW: Superintendent, principal decide to rescind punishments

Sheridan was suspended, stripped of title as class VP, barred from honors dinner

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (AP) -- School officials have decided to go light on an eighth-grader caught with contraband candy in New Haven, Connecticut.

Michael Sheridan originally was suspended and loss his class vice president post after buying a bag of candy.

Michael Sheridan, an eighth-grade honors student who was suspended for a day, barred from attending an honors dinner and stripped of his title as class vice president after he was caught with a bag of Skittles candy in school will get his student council post back, school officials said.

Superintendent Reginald Mayo said in a statement late Wednesday that he and principal Eleanor Turner met with student Michael's parents and that Turner decided to clear the boy's record and restore him to his student council post.

Michael was disciplined after he was caught buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate. The classmate's suspension also will be expunged, school officials said. Watch boy explain case »

The New Haven school system banned candy sales in 2003 as part of a districtwide school wellness policy, school spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo said.

"I am sorry this has happened," Turner said in a statement. "My hope is that we can get back to the normal school routine, especially since we are in the middle of taking the Connecticut mastery test."

Turner said she should have reinforced in writing the verbal warnings against candy transactions.

Michael had said that he didn't realize his candy purchase was against the rules, but he did notice that the student selling the Skittles on February 26 was being secretive.

posted March 13, 2008 04:13 PM            

What about the nannying of having the govt force me to take my shoes off and not take liquids on planes? Why can't I fend for myself when a terrorist attacks my plane?

posted March 13, 2008 04:41 PM            

I guess all those mothers and fathers out there shouldn't get a voice in whether their children learn good eating habits. No freedom to raise their children in the way they see fit. Protect the children's freedoms over the parents.

posted March 13, 2008 05:35 PM            

They're kids. If you let them eat just what they like it will be ice-cream, chocolate and crisps all day. So they get told to eat cabbage, tough luck. Just eat it - or go hungry.

Often these kinds of stories get in the press because the parents don't like being told their kids are brats with no manners. Food is just a version of similar I've seen in the press over the years -banned for having a skin head, mother doesn't like it, it's because he's got nits, he's a lovely boy, he just had that one little problem and it was the police always picking on him, blah, blah, blah. I didn't even have to make that story up.

posted March 13, 2008 06:04 PM            

Just in case you don't know Blue; blowing up airplanes with shoe bombs and or liquid explosives is illegal everywhere in the United States...not to mention in most of the rest of the world.

The governments highest duty, obligation and responsibility is the protection of the lives and property of citizens. That's a compelling interest of government and not any part of a ninny nammy state.

Blue, you have my permission and approval to rush any terrorists you may be flying with and help them to assume room temperature.

On the other hand, buying and eating Skittles, candy, cookies and other food stuffs is not illegal anywhere in the United States. Attempting to punish that which is not illegal but is rather protected activity...whether the little Nazi fascist food police like it or not...is just the kind of long nosed ninny nanny tactics most Americans despise.

Oh, to be sure, there are those..some here, no doubt... who need their every activity controlled since they are incapable of thinking for themselves. Most of us resent the hell out of these intellectual pygmies interfering in our private activities.

acoustic, once again and as usual, you attempt to make a connection which cannot be made. The citizens of the state and probably those with children in that school district made their displeasure known. That was the reason they backed off their contemptible actions.

posted March 13, 2008 07:05 PM            

quote:

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The citizens of the state and probably those with children in that school district made their displeasure known. That was the reason they backed off their contemptible actions.

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posted March 13, 2008 07:11 PM            

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There is no evidence that consuming sugar or aspartame can make a child with a normal attention span hyperactive. Although sugar does make energy available to the body, it does not increase excitement or activity. Children with attention deficit-hyperactive disorder (ADHD) may metabolize sugar differently, and there exists the possibility that sugar may aggravate a behavior disorder that is already present. However, the majority of studies have found that even these children do not have negative or hyperactive reactions to sugar.

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True or False: Eating Sugar Tends to Make Children Hyperactive

So first off the sugar-high myth is just that. A myth. Secondly, that high has been associated with chocolate ... which we all know contains caffeine (not natural chocolate but manufactured chocolates where it is often added).

posted March 13, 2008 07:21 PM            

I guess you're neglecting the whole obesity epidemic amongst our nation's children as well. Childhood Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise.

posted March 13, 2008 07:33 PM            

Funny isn't it how myths get started. Thanks for puncturing the myth of sugar and hyper activity.

acoustic, I know your tactic of throwing a bunch of crap on the wall to see if any sticks.

For your information, Catholic schools are "private schools"...not public. Parents who send their children there pay and expect them to be well taught...and they appreciate the fact there are rules of dress and conduct...including school uniforms.

posted March 13, 2008 07:56 PM            

quote:

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For your information, Catholic schools are "private schools"...not public. Parents who send their children there pay and expect them to be well taught...and they appreciate the fact there are rules of dress and conduct...including school uniforms

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How is that materially different than a parent who expects the school to crack down on sweets? Are parents not allowed any expectation simply because the school is public?

posted March 13, 2008 08:03 PM            

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One other thing acoustic. Obesity began to rise when most public schools dropped PE as an important part of the program. The facts are that most kids don't get nearly enough exercise. Additionally, most cities used to have summer sports programs...now dropped because of budgets...and the possibility of lawsuits. No one even thought of such things when I was growing up. My friends and I were always busy...doing something active.

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Jwhop.

I do agree that junk food and processed foods aren't the healthiest. But where do parents come in? Likewise with fitness. How many kids get regular exercise? Studies show very few. Yes, childhood obesity is on the rise. Obesity in general is on the rise. Hey, let's just make it illegal for ALL adults to access questionable food, too. After all, they clearly can't make the right food choices, either. Then let's mandate physical fitness programs for everyone. And with the dream of socialist healthcare some people have, this kind of thing likely makes sense to them. You won't have to pay for your own healthcare anymore so of course you have little to no choice in what you can do with your body, either. I'm flabbergasted that people can whine for years about safety regulations but will willingly submit their bodies to government control.

I don't mind my kid having ice cream after dinner now and again. He has a regularly healthy diet and I don't expect someone else to take care of that for me. Everything in moderation, after all. I just don't agree that the government should be able to tell you every little thing you can and can't do. When did people give up the right to self-regulation or to raising their own kids?

This is such a diversionary tactic it's almost unbelievable. Ignore all the other viable complaints that can be made about today's schools. Let's just focus on the candy.

I don't see what our ages have to do with this discussion. Either way, I'm pretty sure jwhop has us all beat. I do, however, see that generally only children need to have nannies or the like because they're unable to take care of themselves. Or, at least, generally in the past.

posted March 13, 2008 08:09 PM            

quote:

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And with the dream of socialist healthcare some people have, this kind of thing likely makes sense to them. You won't have to pay for your own healthcare anymore so of course you have little to no choice in what you can do with your body, either.

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posted March 13, 2008 08:22 PM            

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Japan to crack down on overweight people
Date Posted: 2008-03-05

The Japanese government is implementing a program called ‘The Metabolic Syndrome’ to improve health monitoring, and says it will penalize communities who don’t get with the program.
Officials call The Metabolic Syndrome a sickness for those who gain weight, are 40~74 years of age, and whose waistlines are more than 85cm for men and 90cm for women. If people fail to get medical examinations, people’s special health checks or special health check advice, beginning in 2012 the government will impose penalties on cities, towns and villages, passing on a higher burden for health insurance financial penalties. The government says health costs are rising because people aren’t taking proper care of themselves.
Okinawa municipalities are scrambling to begin free medical examinations. Health examinations for The Metabolic Syndrome will begin in April, with nine communities actually offering them free. Others, citing budget constraints, will charge ¥500~1,000 for the examinations.
Free examinations will be given by Naha, Itoman, Tomigusuku, Miyakojima and Haebaru Cities, Yaeso, Nishihara and Yonabaru Towns, and Tarama Village. Kadena Town, Nago City, Nanjo City, Ishigaki City, Higashi Village an Zamami Village say they’re still trying to decide whether to charge for the examinations, or administer them free.

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Healthcare in Japan

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posted March 13, 2008 09:17 PM            

It would also be helpful if schools hadn't dropped...for the most part...home economics which included cooking from scratch and good meal planning.

Right again, there are some who are inclined to turn themselves..and their children over to government control. Perfect little slaves.

Problems with socialist healthcare include using the system to penalize behavior the little socialist planners don't like. By penalize, I mean denying treatment.

Not only that but the socialist healthcare systems are going broke and there's long waiting lists just to see a GP, let alone a specialist.

posted March 13, 2008 10:56 PM            

I think I value freedom. Freedom to choose. Yikes, does it mean I am a rightist

posted March 13, 2008 11:11 PM            

Welcome to the vast right wing conspiracy. Your secret decoder ring and next weeks talking points are on the way.

Btw, I too saw the new regulations for patients waiting...stacked up..in ambulances for not more than 1 hour before they get into line to wait again in the emergency rooms for treatment in Britain. Hell of a way to run a healthcare system.

posted March 14, 2008 12:54 AM            

Oh, and I totally agree about home economics, too. I was lucky to have a grandma who was a great cook and crafty kind of lady and a mom who could stretch a dollar miles. But I elected to take home ec anyway. People have asked me how I learned to cook and plan meals, to sew, to budget, etc. Well, I think both were contributors along with lots of practice. But I know adults who can't figure out how to work a recipe ... who screw up boxed mac and cheese ... let alone sit down and plan their meals for the week. Then they wonder how they end up wasting so much $$ every month eating out or buying "crap" and consequently gaining weight. People who have no idea how to do crafts with their kids because they've never done that sort of thing. And let's not get started on finances or taking care of their homes. It's so "anti-feminist" to teach home ec and yet I think all kids could benefit from the course, especially if their parents are actively involved in their learning and activities. But I feel like an alien bringing this up to some people.

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I'm not into turning my healtcare over to a bunch of brain dead government geeks who have bankrupted social security, Medicare and everything else they've touched over the years. They aren't intellectually fit to tell anyone what to do about anything at all.

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