Thomas Jefferson famously said that “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.” Well, Tommy J would be awfully proud of some two dozen kids in New Jersey today.
It seems the students at Readington Middle School (RMS) in Hunterdon County aren’t happy with the short amount of time they get for lunch every day. So in the finest American tradition - think “Boston Tea Party” - some of them came up with a novel way to protest the perceived injustice.
“Some 29 seventh- and eighth-graders at the school banded together during last Thursday’s 30-minute lunch period and paid for their $2 lunches with pennies,” reports the New Jersey Star-Ledger this morning. “That amounted to 5,800 individual, or 32 pounds, of pennies.”
Over 5,000 pennies weighing in at 32 pounds? God bless those kids! Just when you think the American revolutionary spirit of resistance is dead and gone, along they come to renew our hopes. Now for the rest of the story…
In a response worthy of King George himself, school administrators - that would be PUBLIC school administrators - “called using the coins a sign of disrespect to cafeteria personnel and fellow students, and punished the ‘Readington 29’ with two days of detention.”
Outrageous.
But it gets better. Many of the students have refused to back down to the pressure and threats. “On Friday, in a sign of support, students brought their lunch from home and did not participate in RMS’ hot lunch program,” reports the Star-Ledger. “That protest, students said, could continue into this week.”
Under pressure, school officials are starting to retreat. Superintendent Jorden Schiff now says the suspensions will only be enforced if parents specifically ask for them. On the other hand, school officials are also saying that in the coming weeks they will “work with students to harness their zeal and use their organizational skills toward productive activities.”
Good grief. What could possibly be more productive than learning about peaceful protest and resistance to government authority? Why, it’s as American as baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet!
Actually, it appears the KIDS already have learned a little bit about what it means to be an American. It’s the public school ADMINISTRATORS who need a lesson or two in U.S. History and civics.
And News & Views readers are just the ones to teach ‘em.
As Sammy Adams proclaimed, “It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brushfires in people’s minds.” You know what to do. Please keep the vulgarities to a minimum. Be as respectful as is humanly possible in this situation. And use small words. Remember, these are PUBLIC school officials.
Superintendent Jordan Schiff
jschiff@readington.k12.nj.us
(908) 534-2195
Readington Principal Catherine Hollinger
chollinger@readington.k12.nj.us
(908) 534-2113
Free the Readington 29!
Posted on March 3rd, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: National
How about sending the superintendent a used tea bag. You will probably have to send an article about the Boston Tea Party for him to understand its meaning. Samuel Adams call your office.
Howard
Cheyenne, WY
Chuck, thanks for the trip down memory lane. Nearly 30 years ago, I was involved in a middle school cafeteria inspired “rebellion” in NJ. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
For once, I have to agree with you on this one. Petty dictators with no sense of humor are not to be tolerated. I like the kid’s approach, and the other student’s support.
I found this attitude outrageous in the ‘Bong Hits For Jesus’ case last year. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_v._Frederick)
In this case, however, it went to the Supreme Court, where the first amendment took a major hit, and we all loose as a result. Oppressive authority supporting more oppressive authority.