Kid Suspended from School After Mom Packs Kombucha in His Lunchbox page 2

[zoebird]

Also, I'm glad that the school district realizes that it was an over-reaction, and if they correct it, then great.

Thing is, if people use their discretion, they are less likely to have these ridiculous over reactions, problems solved.

And yes, being in the principal's office is an interrogation situation, based on the power dichotomy. Unless you felt that they were friends with you and you were equals when you went to the principal's office, fact is, it's no different than the power dichotomy of the situation when under arrest.

Effectively, you are virtually powerless in that situation, and unlike an arrest, you don't even have basic miranda rights.

And children, btw, do by law have miranda rights, so at the very least the parents should be notified.

[sbhikes]

Jeez, when I was a kid, the teacher threatened to make us lick it up if we spit on the ground and if I were to back-talk and say I want my parents present when in the principal's office, I would have gotten a spanking. Oh, and P.S. the one time I did go to the principal's office I begged him and my teacher not to tell my parents. Thankfully they didn't.

[zoebird]

And if you think that's an ok way for a school to behave, then that's perpetuating institutionalized abuse.

I experienced a great deal of institutionalized abuse in school. What you describe is a great example, but other things include public humiliation, unjust punishment with no due process (or process to overturn punishment), and many other things that go against basic human rights.

And this was simply because I was *younger* than those in power. No less human, no less self sovereign, just *younger*.

[jkr]

Ummm.

Please consider the source. The mom whose kid was involved contacted...the Healthy Home Economist about this? Really?

Child Suspended from School for Kombucha in Lunchbox

And really? Giving an elementary kid KOMBUCHA? To take to SCHOOL? If you think any school rep is going to be okay with even a SMALL amount of alcohol in a beverage, you're smoking something. And of course the kids are going to fixate on it, because alcohol is for adults and it's forbidden and forbidden things are COOL. Even if it's just a tiny amount.

Here's the school's statement:
Newport Mesa Unified School District: News

I'm sure people over-reacted. They probably a) had never heard of kombucha and/or b) then found out it had alcohol in it (however minute) and freaked out and made some dumb decisions. But those decisions are now being reversed, as per the press release.

Um, tons of kids in Portland drink kombucha everyday and take it to school. It's in vending machines.

[Chaohinon]

fuck the police

[Urban Forager]

And yes, being in the principal's office is an interrogation situation, based on the power dichotomy. Unless you felt that they were friends with you and you were equals when you went to the principal's office, fact is, it's no different than the power dichotomy of the situation when under arrest.

Effectively, you are virtually powerless in that situation, and unlike an arrest, you don't even have basic miranda rights.

And children, btw, do by law have miranda rights, so at the very least the parents should be notified.

You are absolutely right! That's why when teachers are called in to the principal's office they have the right to have union representation.

[onalark]

Um, tons of kids in Portland drink kombucha everyday and take it to school. It's in vending machines.

Portland != Orange County. I'm not even sure Orange County allows soda in machines anymore.

Also, I'm glad that the school district realizes that it was an over-reaction, and if they correct it, then great.

Thing is, if people use their discretion, they are less likely to have these ridiculous over reactions, problems solved.

I agree. Absolutely. The power figure involved here jumped and made a bad call. People above her noticed and said, "You're a moron. Now we have to go and write a press release so this family doesn't sue our asses." If her intent was to be severe with the kid because she suspected that he had an alcohol problem (???) she really, really should have consulted his parents. And I agree that the parents should read her the riot act for making that call without them.

As for why there was a police presence on campus -- it's Orange County. We have...problems.

But my biggest problem with how this story was written was it sounds like the kid was being persecuted by the "food police" for taking kombucha to school. The problem isn't that the kid was eating a traditional food provided by his mom. The problem was that it contained alcohol (or could have contained alcohol), and school policy is strictly non-alcoholic, and the situation bloomed from there.

Had he had a bottle of homemade raw milk kefir, this would have likely been a complete non-issue.

[onalark]

Had he had a bottle of homemade raw milk kefir, this would have likely been a complete non-issue.

Oh, wait, kefir can also contain alcohol. Here, I'll fix that for me: "Had he had a bottle of homemade raw chocolate milk, this would have likely been a complete non-issue."

[Saoirse]

Had he had a bottle of homemade raw milk kefir, this would have likely been a complete non-issue.

you beat me to it. honestly, fruit juice that wasn't properly cooled could contain as much alcohol as either of the above.

[CE402]

Discression and the concept of mens rea are all but gone from the legal system and schools these days it seems. Since proving intent so so difficult, it is much easier to assume by policy that all are guilty by default.

When I was 10 we had an ethnic food day in my class. I brought soda bread, one kid brought dolmas, you get the idea. One student brought a sixer of O'Douls. For those not from the US, that's a non-alcoholic beer, that contains trace levels of alcohol.

Our teacher's response? Call the principal? Refer the student to alcohol counseling? Suspend them? Call the police? Of course not, the student had no intention of bringing booze to school, or of getting the class drunk. She was told the beverage wouldn't be served, and told to bring it back home.

Novel concept.