Common Sense top truant

Lotsa Sense and his wife, Makes Sense, are troubled parents. They are so proud of their son, Common, but they are suffering some consternation because of their son’s failed efforts to make it in education. Despite his desire and effort to succeed as an administrator, Common Sense has become the Number One truant in education.

Just this morning over coffee the Senses were trying to make sense out of their son’s travails.

“It’s not that he wants to be absent from education,” Mrs. Sense said. “For some reason, he’s not viewed as being useful.” Mr. Sense nodded affirmatively and listened as his wife continued. “Like that time the little boy—you know, the one in either first or second grade, I don’t remember for sure which—pointed a finger at his friend and made a gun noise.”

Yes, they both remembered. The teacher corrected the boy and he immediately obeyed her. She acknowledged that the boy was not disruptive, that he was obedient and respectful, and that no one in class complained or was disturbed. The boys were just being playful. But, she remembered that she was supposed to file a written report on any behavior that was violent or possibly suggested violence. So, she filed a report and the boy was suspended from school though neither the boy (especially him) nor the parents understood why.

“Common wasn’t there and wasn’t consulted,” Mr. Sense said. “He could have thanked the boy for being obedient, explained to him that pointing his finger while making a shooting sound was not acceptable behavior in school, and explained why. Then, he could have warned the boy and his parents that a repeat of the behavior would have strong consequences. But, no, the principal allowed the situation to grow into way more than it should have been. Common would have known better.”

“That’s almost as bad as the young boy who accidentally brought his Boy Scout knife to school,” Mrs. Sense. “Common could have handled that one, too.”

Mr. and Mrs. Sense sipped from their coffee mugs as they recalled the incident. The boy arrived at school and discovered he had his Boy Scout knife with him. Knowing it was a violation of school rules to have the knife, he did the sensible thing. He took the knife to the principal’s office, asking that it be kept there for him to pick up after school so that he would not be breaking a rule.

“Pardon the pun on our son’s name, but the boy was showing common sense,” Mr. Sense said. “Too bad Common wasn’t there to handle the situation.”

To the surprise of many, the boy was suspended instead of being complimented for his thoughtful action.

“Next time a boy forgets and brings a pocket knife to school or a girl inadvertently leaves a pair of scissors in her purse, do you think they will turn ‘the weapons’ in or keep them on their person?” Mrs. Sense commented.

Mr. Sense shook his head and mused, “And Common wasn’t there recently when a high school girl went to the aid of a friend who had called for a ride home from a party where drinking was going on. He should have been.”

“Right,” Mrs. Sense responded. “We teach kids to call for a sober driver, which this girl did. Then, the girl comes to her friend’s aid and is punished by the school, including dropping her from her ball team.”

“Unfortunately, the police arrived right after the girl got to the party,” Mr. Sense said. “She was taken to the police station, but the police cleared her and said she was not involved in the party. She had been doing what she had been told was the right thing to do. If only our son, Common Sense, had been there, she and her parents would not be facing the unfair situation they now have to battle.”

“And just the other day a high school boy was suspended over a poem he wrote in class that some people thought was critical of his football coach,” Mrs. Sense lamented. “And he was instructed by the teacher to write the poem.”

“Let’s not get into that one,” Mr. Sense said. “We’ve stewed enough today over Common not finding a place in education.”

Mrs. Sense gathered up the two coffee mugs and spoke sadly, “Common just can’t seem to get a job any more in education, but I notice that the Correctness’ son, Political, has all kinds of job offers.”