Thread: Is this where America is heading to...

...or are we already there?
Swedish school confiscates boy's party invitations - AOL News

Comments?

The subject incident ocurred in Sweden. I know nothing of the laws in Sweden but as far as I know, I believe a school in the USA can confiscate such things that can be considered a distraction to the couse of study. However, if the invitations are distributed via mail, email or during non-class time (before or after school) the school certainly has no authority to decide who will be invited to a private party.

Life is full of examples of descrimination. I was usually one of the last kids picked for any athletic games. I was small and didn't care for sports at all.

I'd say we are already there.

I remember having to bring valentines cards for everyone, and trying to decide which card sucked enough to go to the kids I didn'tlike.

It's a vague story, I'd support taking them away if the kid had been warned already not to do it in front of everyone in class, but the article doesn't say what the circumstances were. The article didn't even make it clear to me whether or not it was a publicly funded / mandated school. "The parliamentary ombudsman has asked the school board to decide on the issue before Sept. 8." What's an ombudsman? Was that the English translation?

I think rules like that can be left at the local level. Somehow I doubt anyone's individual rights were violated (assuming the kid or parents got the invitations back at the end of the day)

School is prolly the only place where the kid could have spread the invites. ...and this is nothing more than the state meddling in matters it has no business in. Come on... "ensure that there is no discrimination??" Puhleeze.

From wikipedia.

An ombudsman (English plural: conventionally ombudsmen) is an official, usually (but not always) appointed by the government or by parliament, who is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints reported by individual citizens.

I agree that there isn't enough information in the article, but regardless it's silly under any circumstances to say that the two kids have to be invited.

But I don't feel like it's the same as the mandatory valentines cards for everyone.

Edit:from another article from the bbc http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7479758.stm it seems the teacher was fine with it until it was noticed that the two weren't invited. So I'm changing my vote to "this is just plain wrong."

Mark, how can you not see... If no one feels left out, it'll be a better world...I mean if a kid can't pass and should wear a dunce hat, we should pass him so he feels "part of the group". Never mind that he can't tie his shoes or read "cat in the hat", at least we have prepared him for a world where everyone is part of the group. ......

I'm sorry, no, let those kids get left out. It'll get them ready for the real world.

I could imagine if that happened to me when I was in school...

Teacher: Why don't you want to invite them?
Me: because they suck!

Originally Posted by Cyclophile

School is prolly the only place where the kid could have spread the invites. ...and this is nothing more than the state meddling in matters it has no business in. Come on... "ensure that there is no discrimination??" Puhleeze.

I didn't see any evidence of state involvement, or anything that even said it was a public school.

Originally Posted by ScottS

I didn't see any evidence of state involvement, or anything that even said it was a public school.

except for the ombudsman
I'm all for the idea behind what the teacher did, but it isn't the place of the government to enforce the idea It's a good rule for a school to have though. Just like when I was a kid, if someone doesn't like it they can go see the principal (not that it would do much good in today's world though)

Really, each party could have comported themselves better.