The Supreme Court just handed down a bit of commonsense. In a 9-0 ruling, they said that school teachers can continue to grade papers in class and use students as helpers. The case "Owasso Independent School District vs Falvo, 00-1073" involved a parent who felt that it was demeaning for her son to have his papers graded by fellow classmates (in the radio story I heard, her son was retarded but attending conventional classes).
I guess you know you're getting old when things that you did routinely in school come before the Supreme Court. There used to be a flippant saying when someone didn't like what you were doing. You used to say "Yeah? So, sue me!" But you don't hear that much anymore because too many people are actually following through and wasting untold dollars by trying to twist well-meaning laws to their personal gain.
Now, I sympathize with Ms. Falvo, and her child. I remember being teased in school too. Not so much for poor test scores, but I still understand how it felt and how it feels to be a parent of a child who is teased. On the other hand, maybe learning how to deal with it is part of growing up? Perhaps this is yet another area where schoolchildren have it over home-schoolers? Isn't it part of life to have to handle other peoples' opinions and to learn how to react? What happens when her son/daughter has a job and doesn't get every promotion? Will they have a break down? Will they beg their Mommy to file a lawsuit because the employer didn't hide their promotion/lack-thereof adequately from the other employees?
The "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974" was intended to protect our central records and files from prying eyes. That way, a mistake in grade or secondary school wouldn't have to haunt you throughout life. It wasn't meant to keep your classmates from giggling if you can't remember when the war of 1812 was fought or who is buried in Grant's tomb.
Buck up little Falvo, you got your 15 minutes of fame (at the expense of your school district.) Sadly, your Mom's overactive sense of protection probably cost your neighbors the equivalent of 4 or 5 teacher's salaries and who-knows-how-many books for your library. The justices said they were "surprised" that a case like this ever made it to the Supreme court. So am I. What a waste just for your vanity. I don't think your Mom did you much of a favor with this action, but maybe if enough of us "grade" HER work for wasting everyone's time and resources, SHE'LL get the hint