A local cause.

Hi, Tom!

Our middle schoolers also carry tremendously heavy backpacks. Local doctors remarked on the number of kids with spinal problems, which they said happened because the kids were carrying everything they owned in their improperly balanced backpacks all day. (PA requires a scoliosis screening as part of the middle school physical.)

The kids said, "Well, duh! We can only stop at our lockers 3 times a day and you get a detention for not having your stuff, and you get a detention for stopping at your locker when you're not allowed."

The teachers said, "The backpacks are a hazard because the kids put them in the aisles."

The parents said, "Why can't the kids visit their lockers between classes while they're walking through the halls anyway?"

The administration said, "It causes too much confusion to let them stop. They need to remember everything at the beginning of the day and at lunchtime. Where did I put my briefcase? I need to go back to my office. Wait just a minute..."

The parents said, "If weight is the problem, why not buy one more set of textbooks to keep in the classroom, and issue 'take-home' books to lend for the year for homework?"

The bus drivers said, "Hey, we like that solution! Those big backpacks of books are a problem on the bus too!"

The kids said, "What a great idea! Then we could carry our binders and stuff without five or six books sliding all over the place!"

The teachers said, "Good! No more 'I forgot my book' excuses!"

The administration said, "We have a better idea. We're going to outlaw backpacks. The kids will only use them to smuggle weapons into the building to shoot people with."

Parents, bus drivers, kids, teachers: "[heavy sigh]"

No state intervention necessary.

Regards--
Mary Anne

PS-- Re: textbooks. Has anyone else here noticed that the bulk of a textbook is often inversely proportional to the quality of its content?