As the saying goes, "Rules are made to be broken..." and I have indeed broken a few (hundred) in my day. However, even dumb rules are still rules and if we chose not to follow them, we have to be prepared for the consequences. And I'm sorry, rules that are written in black and white and handed to you are ones in which you cannot feign ignorance..
There are two such instances that have been filling my interweb pages today. The first has to do with excused versus unexcused absences. (A rule in which I have had my asshairs knotted about before.)
It seems that Mike Rossi, a radio announcer from (somewhere, its really not pertinent) took his kids out of school to watch him run the Boston Marathon. They took a few extra days to sight see, swim, eat, etc. Upon returning to school Mr. Rossi was SHOCKED! Shocked I tell you, to learn that those days were counted as unexcused absences, and he was sent a form letter explaining the school's attendance policy. That letter and his response has now gone viral.
He's "outraged" because the family vacation included a number of educational experiences. Life lessons were learned, tears were shed, laps were swam and blocks were walked (counting towards PE time) and yet, those days his precious snowflakes missed were not counted as excused absences. To which I say, boo fucking hoo....in what alternate universe does one think that a family vacation is excused? In what alternate universe does one think "rules don't apply to me, because I am a special snowflake!" (Thats right, its no alternate, its current day USA)
I too have taken my kids out of school for trips, which have had an educational component. I too get a little peeved when I get the letter explaining the attendance policy and I too agree that education happens outside of the classroom, all the time. HOWEVER, where does one draw the line? Rules like this are made hard and fast, because what one person deems an "educational experience" another person deems bullshit. Wouldn't a shopping trip be deemed educational if one was going into a fashion career or if the kids were made to spend within their budget and do math while in the check out line? Wouldn't a week long beach trip be called educational if the kids picked up shells along the beach and went snorkeling? (Science?)
The part that really irks me is that this guy feigned ignorance when it came to the policy...um, sorry douchebag, I'm certain your school has a handbook and I'd bet my left tit it includes the attendance policy.
The second such instance is a parent bitching about the dress code. Another one of those policies that is clearly laid out in the school handbook and clearly communicated to the parents. Yes, I agree its a bit on the ridiculous side that five year olds are being looked at sideways for wearing sundresses with spaghetti straps, HOWEVER, the dress code clearly states no spaghetti straps and if my 10 year old can't wear them, neither can your five year old...again, hard and fast rules made to eliminate any grey area. If you don't like it? Take your child to a school where they have uniforms. Problem solved.
I get really tired of the "rules don't apply to me because I am special and I don't like the rules" attitude society has today. I sure as shit don't like a number of rules/laws that I am supposed to follow. But I know I am expected to do so, or there could be consequences....something few people are learning to live with these days.
[Policing morals and moral decisions (i.e. if you are a grown ass adult that wants to lock himself in his basement and get high while the kids are at grandma's house,) that seems like its no one else's business, law included... that to me is a moral decision not a legal matter.. is another topic for another day...]
