Story Archive

He Also Observed That School Officials Are Obliviots

Jason Steward of Kermit, Texas, took his family to see The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. A few days later, his 9-year-old son, Aiden, took a “Hobbit” ring to Kermit Elementary School. Aiden told another boy of the ring’s magical powers — if he put it on the other boy’s head, he’d disappear! That’s not harmless fantasy, school officials declared: Aiden was suspended from fourth grade for making a “terrorist threat.” It was Aiden’s third suspension in six months. The first was because he observed a fellow student’s skin is black. The second was because he brought his favorite book to school to impress his teacher — but the Big Book of Knowledge includes a section on pregnancy, including a photo of a pregnant woman. Principal Roxanne Greer refused to comment on any of it, saying “All student stuff is confidential.” Steward said Aiden “lacks the magical powers necessary to threaten his friend’s existence. If he did, I’m sure he’d bring him right back.” (RC/Odessa American, New York Daily News) ...Aiden doesn’t have magical powers, but the voters in the district have the “magical” power necessary to make the school board disappear if they don’t fix this.