School in 1957 vs School in 2007
1. Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into the high school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957 - Vice principal comes over to look at Jack's shotgun. He goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, and FBI is called. Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
2. Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.
2007 - Police called. SWAT team arrives. Johnny and Mark are arrested and charged with assault. Both are expelled even though Johnny started it.
3. Scenario: Tommy won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Tommy sent to office and given a good paddling by the principal. He returns to class, sits still, and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Tommy is diagnosed with ADD and given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Tommy has a disability.
4. 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, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is placed in foster care and joins a gang. Billy's dad goes to jail. Billy's mom has affair with state psychologist.
5. Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark takes aspirin while talking with principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called. Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car and home are searched for drugs and weapons.
6. Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up an ant hill.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Homeland Security, and FBI called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates parents; siblings are removed from home; computers confiscated. Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly in an airplane again.
7. Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Miss Jones, who hugs hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Miss Jones is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in state prison. Johnny undergoes years of therapy.
8. 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 is given a diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
1. Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into the high school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957 - Vice principal comes over to look at Jack's shotgun. He goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, and FBI is called. Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
2. Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.
2007 - Police called. SWAT team arrives. Johnny and Mark are arrested and charged with assault. Both are expelled even though Johnny started it.
3. Scenario: Tommy won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Tommy sent to office and given a good paddling by the principal. He returns to class, sits still, and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Tommy is diagnosed with ADD and given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Tommy has a disability.
4. 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, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is placed in foster care and joins a gang. Billy's dad goes to jail. Billy's mom has affair with state psychologist.
5. Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark takes aspirin while talking with principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called. Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car and home are searched for drugs and weapons.
6. Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up an ant hill.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Homeland Security, and FBI called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates parents; siblings are removed from home; computers confiscated. Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly in an airplane again.
7. Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Miss Jones, who hugs hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Miss Jones is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in state prison. Johnny undergoes years of therapy.
8. 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 is given a diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
