Vicious Habanero Boy Suspended
A school in South Carolina last week suspended a lad because of a habanero pepper. It seems that 7-year-old Miles Cooley has a hobby: he grows chile peppers. One day he brings one of them, a habanero, to school and shows his friends. Another child unfortunately handled the habanero then rubbed his eyes, which reacted with intense swelling and no doubt pain. Habaneros are some of the most powerful chiles in existence. Miles was sent home and suspended for a day, under protest from his family.
In another article this week on "The Death of Common Sense," the LA Times questions school and other authorities refusal to use their own judgment when handling situations out of the ordinary. They cite another South Carolina incident in which an 11-year old girl was suspended for a steak knife in her lunchbox, provided so she could cut up her chicken leftovers.
What do you think? Did the schools overreact here? Or were they doing the proper thing? Have we lost perspective on right and wrong? By "following the rules" are we avoiding accountability? When simple acts, such as kids just being kids, become social violations warranting ejection, we wonder if there's not a bigger story here. Send us your comments—there's always two sides to every coin, even the chocolate ones.
The liquor industry lifted its 48-year old voluntary ban on TV and radio ads this week. The networks and major stations vow to reject such ads, but the first step was made last month when Seagram's placed an ad on cable TV for Chivas Regal.
It does open a can of foam, so to speak, since beer ads alone account for $600 million in revenue to TV stations and networks. Wine ads are also not uncommon. Which is why the Distilled Spirits Council thinks there is a double standard: alcohol is alcohol, they say. Consumer groups and the FCC are initiating studies on the effects of such ads on children, and the outcome could mean no liquor ads of any kind, wine and beer included. Other less radical options may result, but one thing is certain: the issue is not going away anytime soon. Look for more news in the future.