I think the Swedes need something new to occupy their time. Read on:
There's a discrimination issue that's raging in Sweden right now. It involves - sit down - birthday invitations. Yup. You read right. Birthday invitations (or their improper distribution) can cause discrimination. Did you know that? I didn't. I guess the rules in Sweden are different.
The details: in a school south of Stockholm recently, an 8-year-old boy who had given out invitations to his birthday party had the invitations confiscated by his teacher. The reason: he hadn't given them to everyone in his class. Two boys were not invited. Why? His father says one of the boys bullied his son, and the second hadn't invited him to his party. But as a result of not receiving the invitations, those two boys were discriminated against. Or so the school says.
Now, I've heard - and abided by - those rules at private pre-schools, and I thought they were pretty justified for a group of really little kids (and this was a PRIVATE school). But do we really need to have PARLIAMENT decide whether this is discrimination? And why is it discrimination? Because some children will have their feelings hurt 'cause they weren't invited to a private party? Well maybe there was some justification there. And how did the other boy get away with not inviting everyone? How come he wasn't bagged for discrimination?
I don't believe in a "big government" that has to make rules for everything. In fact I personally believe some things just shouldn't be legislated. And this is one of them. Social mores are based on current social custom, which, I think, should not be legislated. Prohibition, anyone?
And hey, don't people in Sweden have anything else to worry about? This is soooo silly, and for it to have reached the Parliamentary Ombudsman is ridiculous. I've always wanted to visit Sweden, and Norway, and Denmark, and Finland, but I gotta start wondering about a place that has to establish rules on who must be invited to a birthday party. Good Grief!!!
More Info: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hkBG46h2R7GP4O08d5vSYk416N0gD91JTSFG0
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
There is a phenomenon in the UK called "The Nanny State", which causes the liberals amongst us to rant and rave about the fact that our Government seems to be introducing legislation pertaining to every intimate detail of our daily lives - apparently, they say, for our own safety, security, mental health and ultimate ascension to Nirvana. Or something.
This has resulted in such things as it being ... well, not exactly against the law, but strongly frowned upon (and, in some schools, prohibited) for children to do hand stands in the school yard.
Part of this is to do with the advent of the blame and claim culture which we are copying from the Americans. But even more of the legislation is to do with some one in Government having the idea that everyone has to be equal, and no on e must be discriminated against. A laudable concept I agree, but impractical in human terms. We are not all equal and there are instances where we do want to discriminate, thank you very much.
It should be part of our inalienable rights as human beings to be able to decide who does, and who does not, attend our children's birthday celebrations. They should take it to the International Court of Human Rights. Ha!
You're spot on, my wonderful English/Californian friend! I believe these are issues that should be worked out on a one-to-one basis, and should not be overseen by a government. Ok, if a privately-funded school decides this is an appropriate policy, so be it. They're private and you can always leave. But a publicly-funded institution shouldn't have to have "laws" thrust upong them for things like this. I am a raving liberal, but this is just stoopid! (hee hee hee)
Post a Comment