Frankie Says.........

So I think that the folks that run the schools in Florida have finally gone off the deep end. After last fall's debacle in Broward County where students were to be punished for not watching a speech by President Obama we now have a case in the Orlando area where a student is being threatened with suspension for wearing a bracelet to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

At first I thought that this might be an April Fool's Day story but then I realized that the ridiculousness of it had to be true. Apparently a 14-year old boy wore one of those plastic bracelets (thanks Lance Armstrong) printed with the phrases " I love boobies" and "Save a Breast". The school administration says that the bracelet caused a commotion. Really? I seriously doubt that the student wearing the bracelet was walking around chanting the phrases on his wrist.

The only conceivable commotion I can think of would be from other students (most likely other 14-year old boys) making comments about breasts and boobies. And if a teacher or administrator can't handle fourteen year old boys talking about breasts and various other female body parts than you probably are teaching the wrong aged students because that's all they are thinking about anyway. So why take the armband away? It raises awareness for breast cancer and countless other bands in an array of colors represent a myriad of other causes. So why take it away? Because it says "breast" and "boobie"? Unless your health teacher is referring to the female anatomy in health class as her lovely lady lumps well then I really don't see the issue.

I thought that schools today (especially those in Florida) were most concerned with teaching youth to be good global citizens? Isn't showing support for a disease that one out of every three women will be diagnosed with a worthy global initiative? Maybe its only okay to show support for a cause if you a part of a mandatory service work program?

I wish that I could say that Frankie was still wearing his bracelet but sadly the school's administration succeeded in their bullying tactics (can teachers be members of a service employees union?) and he has stopped. He told a local news agency, "I just don't want to get in trouble anymore." Sounds like a real trouble-maker huh?

So here's my idea. Every parent with kids at Tomlin Middle School and everyone else who thinks that this entire situation in completely ludicrous and out of control should adopt a new slogan...........

FRANKIE SAYS SAVE THE BOOBIES!