School, 1957 vs. 2013

Re-posted by Nicholas Stix

Thanks to the reader who sent this, writing:

Scenario 4: So true. So true.

The county police were called to my parents' house one night about 45 years ago. Seems one of my older brothers and his neighborhood buddies had climbed onto the roof of a nearby elementary school. They weren't looking to break in to the school, much less steal anything; they were normal, curious kids who thought they were doing something forbidden.

Of course my parents were horrified. My brother was caught trespassing and the police had shown up at the front door! OMG! What would the neighbors think?

What happened to my brother at the time I do not know as I was very young. But I bet my working class father came down hard on him.

I do know, however, that this very same brother later went on to Johns Hopkins, then earned a joint MD/PhD at Yale's medical school with honors (where one of his professors was the father of Nobel laureate Alfred Gilman), and continued with a post-doc in genetics at Harvard. He is now a full professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

Yes, times have certainly changed.

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You should know that by today's standards none of us was supposed to ever make it.


HIGH SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2013

Scenario 1:

Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack.

1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2013 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2:

Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2013 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled, even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3:

Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.

1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2013 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family gets extra money (SSI) from the government because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4:

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 normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.

2013 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5:

Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with a friend who also has a headache.

2013 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6:

Pedro fails high school English.

1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2013 - Pedro's cause is taken up by the state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. The ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from the core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario 7:

Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.

1957 - Ants die.

2013 - ATF, Homeland Security, and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are removed from their home, and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario 8:

Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1957 -In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2013 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

This should hit every e-mail inbox to show how stupid we have become!