Well, that’s just bollocks!  That was my mantra for years! Okay, kinda kidding. I wasn’t come crazed nympho druggie running around backstage at concerts tearing off my shirt and bribing roadies for access to rock stars with sexual favors. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We all have stages we go through and if that was one of yours, then I wanna hear ALL the stories! There are no judgments here (well, except for my HUGE judgment towards the NY DOE and Mayor. That judging I’ll cop to.)

Today we are going to evaluate the next item on Mayor Butthead’s list of words that are forbidden on tests in New York. Ugh. Every time I write that I wanna throw something.

Word(s) of the day: Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs

I’m not sure why these words aren’t allowed. After all, kids/teenagers don’t know what any of that stuff is anyway because those things are illegal for them at that age and therefore don’t exist. I’d imagine if they heard any of those words they would think someone was speaking a foreign language. “Wha? What’d you say? I don’t know what those words mean.”

It is beyond ludicrous to hide these words in the back of a dark closet. WHEN WILL PEOPLE LEARN that stuffing away things they consider to be unpleasant only makes matters worse? A LACK of education is the breeding ground for ignorance, intolerance and abuse (oh shit, “abuse” was yesterday’s word and is forbidden…going to hell again today, I guess.)

New York DOE and Mayor Dumbass, let me assure you that it’s likely your kindergarteners know what alcohol, tobacco and drugs are. Most certainly your 3rd graders do. And your 6th graders have likely tried at least one of them. Might it not be prudent to educate them on the risks involved in using them rather than removing any trace of them because they might get a kid all juiced up and wanting to go on a binge? Trust me, if they want to do that, they will. You removing those words from tests doesn’t make life more pleasant for kids. It doesn’t keep them off drugs/booze/cigs. It is, yet again, ridiculous and offensive.

I suggest coming down off your high horse, no longer allowing yourself to be bullied by political pressure and lobbyists, and doing something of ACTUAL value. You know, pay your teachers more. What a novel idea. Improve the quality of food that growing kids buy at the cafeteria. What CRAZY thoughts!!!

Okay, tirade over for the day. Actually, I find this quite fun, in case you can’t tell. What a bunch of dullards.