Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into
school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1977 - Vice principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun,
goes to his car and gets his own shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lockdown, the FBI are called, Jack
is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again.
Counselors are called in to assist traumatized students and
teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1977 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands
and end up buddies.
2007 - Police are called; SWAT team arrives and arrests
Johnny and Mark. They are charged with assault and both are
expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: Jeffrey won't sit still in class, disrupts other
students.
1977 - Jeffrey is sent to the principal's office and given a
good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not
disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of
Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra
funding because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and
his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1977 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal,
goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is
removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist
tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself
and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with
the psychologist.
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some Aspirin to
school.
1977 - Mark shares Aspirin with the school principal out on
the smoking dock.
2007 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from school
for drug violations. His car is searched for drugs and
weapons.
Scenario: Pedro fails high-school English.
1977 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, and goes
to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by local human
rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally
explaining that making English a requirement for graduation
is racist. Civil Liberties Association files class action
lawsuit against school system and Pedro's English teacher.
English is banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his
diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because
he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover Independence Day
firecrackers, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and
blows up an anthill.
1977 - Ants die.
2007 - The FBI is called and Johnny is charged with domestic
terrorism. FBI investigates parents, siblings are removed
from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad
goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly
again.
Scenario: Johnny falls during recess and scrapes his knee.
His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to
comfort him.
1977 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses
her job. She faces three years in federal prison. Johnny
undergoes five years of therapy.
