Tag Archives: kids and school

Parents Peeved Over School Scare

My kindergartner freaks out when she sees a speck of blood, so I can only image her reaction to seeing bloody concrete, police tape and a chalk outline of a body on her way into school. Fortunately, she doesn’t attend class at Foxhill Primary in the UK. That’s where irate parents are chastising school officials for setting up a mock crime scene involving fake blood and a female teacher with plaster on her head. Apparently, school officials thought it would be a good idea to stage a violent break-in as part of a problem-solving exercise. Never mind that children as … Continue reading →

President Obama Angers School Kids

I suppose I would be irate too if was a school-hating 10-year-old who just learned that the President of the United States was trying to institute a law that would essentially eliminate summer vacation. Forget about three months of free time to swim and snooze in the sun. According to reports, President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan want longer school days and a move toward a “balanced” or year round calendar for school kids. Translation: If Obama gets his way, summer vacation would be dramatically reduced and endless nights of firefly catching and smore making will be a thing … Continue reading →

How Long is Too Long for Kindergarten?

My baby begins kindergarten in the fall. Half-day kindergarten. For roughly four hours or so each day, my loquacious daughter will be chatting the ears off of some woman, who probably looks nothing like me, and a gaggle of kids who probably act just like her. Four hours. I’m not sure what I’ll do with myself. NOT! (Can you say three jobs and a never-ending battle with dirty clothes, the dishwasher and dust bunnies?) Still, when I think of how long kids in one Canadian province might have to spend in kindergarten, I’m liking the sound of four hours more … Continue reading →

Father Furious After 9-Year-Old Daughter is Accused of Selling “Drugs” at School

When you hear the word “drugs” what substances come to mind? Most people would answer: marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy, PCP, or perhaps even alcohol. I doubt many individuals would categorize Vitamin C as a drug… unless, of course, you’re a fourth grade teacher in Florida. According to reports, said teacher accused one of her students of not only possessing drugs, but also of selling them after she saw the girl receive money for a Halls Defense Vitamin C cough drop. No kidding. In an interview 9-year-old Khalin Rivenbark and her father did with a local Florida TV station the girl says … Continue reading →

Fashion Forward: Bulletproof Backpacks

Pencils. Check. Pens. Check. Notebooks. Check. Bulletproof backpack… Not exactly the type of item you want to see on your child’s back-to-school shopping list, but a couple of entrepreneurs from Boston think it should be there. If you thought a backpack’s main purpose was to be a fashion accessory, think again. Joe Curran, of My Child’s PackIt, says backpacks should serve multiple purposes, including acting as a weapon in the war against school violence. Curran started the bag company shortly after the shootings at Columbine in 1999. He and his buddy Mike Pelonzi say the idea for the bulletproof backpack … Continue reading →