This is the problem.
Parents who won't let their children play unsupervised.
Police who won't let children walk home from the park.
Schools who won't let children experience rough and tumble play.
Park designers who won't let children take physical risks.
Here's the thing: human flourishing requires danger. At almost all stages of development.
What could possibly be the danger from reading in a bus? Even if some car crashes with the bus, due to the mass of the bus, there's little chance of getting hurt, let alone the chance of getting killed from the book or something.
> Police who won't let children walk home from the park.
I suppose this is happening at the States? Can you provide some info on this? The only word to describe the above that comes to mind (at least for me) is alien. :)
You can indulge yourself on more cases here: http://www.freerangekids.com/
In nowadays world there a too few dangers, so we exaggerate what we have, and imagine dangers we don't have.
The question is what should we do about this, and should we?
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-my-child-will-be-your-childs...
And what choice do you have if you are a kid taking a school bus.
I beg your pardon, but that is patently false. From the article: The bus driver suggested fellow students might stand up to see what she was reading or she might poke herself in the eye with the corners of the book.
Let's repeat that, shall we?
Poke herself in the eye with the corners of the book.
What is needed here, is not any kind of stupid rule saying that they can't take 'things' out of their bag, but a student supervisor on the bus. If students are actually jumping around then the supervisor needs to stop that.
Kids on a bike with training wheels wearing a helmet, knee and elbow pads, a mouth guard with a copy of the liability insurance sticking out of the back pocket. Can't be too safe, you know.
Five flag persons "managing" traffic, causing it to back up three blocks each way, while one dude is trimming a bush on a sidewalk. That's just how we roll.
As ridiculous as this book ban is, I am not a bit surprised that it's a Canadian development (though it is a bit odd that it comes from Quebec of all places).
I recognize the driving force here, is the attempt to eliminate risk - but, at some point, we've got to realize that there is a concept of "acceptable risk" - and deal with the consequences.
Are kids allowed to climb trees anymore? Seriously, if riding the bus is considered a risky endeavor because kids might look at something someone else has, how do parents feel about their 8 year olds 45' up a pine tree?
