Somehow the remote got stuck on local Fox News this evening. Leading to a long armchair parenting conversation about the appropriate punishment for an 8 year old unwittingly bringing a butter knife to school.

In western Wisconsin growing up with all sorts of guns, bows, and arrows in the house, I’m comfortable with the responsibility these items bestow upon parents. To me, declaring any knife a weapon is a slippery slope to outlawing pencils sharp enough to practice writing the alphabet with.

But I digress, for this seems to be an emerging issue with elementary school-age terrorists. First in Richmond, VA – sane parent, insane administration. Then in, Youngstown, OH – administration gives kids plastic flatware then punishes kids for reuse. Finally in Omaha, NE – administration realizes zero tolerance might be a bit insane.

Given the recent history of bad things that have happened in middle and high schools, the restriction of funding, and the No Child Left Behind scorched-earth approach to education, public schools have been slapped punch drunk by the neocon administration. I can see where administrations might be acting a tad off.

Unfortunately, the more administration consider the butter knives used benignly an actual problem, the more parents with the means will pull their kids and their money out of public schools thus privatizing America’s future. Well…unless the parents with means also believe in Intelligent Design. Then I’m cool with it.

Apologies to anyone that clicked the Omaha, NE link earlier and got a coupon for instant biscuits. Not sure how that link got in there, either way – it links to the story now. Thanks to DH for brining it to my attention.