For a lesson on responsibility, the 2nd graders had to complete a worksheet titled “If I Were in Charge.” The worksheet listed six things that students do that don’t meet expectations or break school rules. The student’s job was to pretend to be the principal and write down the “consequences” (the politically correct word for “punishment”) of each action. Here’s how Sean filled out his worksheet:

1. fighting on the playground

30 minutes on the wall

2. stealing money from a student’s backpack

5 years detention

3. pushing someone in the bus line

make them say Sorry

4. talking rudely to a teacher

make them work every millisecond

5. cheating on a test

send them to a 12th grade room

6. throwing food in the cafeteria

make them clean up the whole world

(!)

I asked Sean about a couple of these. “The wall” is part of the playground area where kids are sent when being disciplined, so that explains #1. I asked about #5, and why he said to send them to a 12th grade room: “Because 12th graders are scary.”

Well, of course!