About the Author

Richard Cochrane is trained in chemistry and metallurgy but is far more interested and practiced as a political and fund raising consultant, writer and amateur historian. He grew up in a Navy family and with his two younger brothers carried on its 500+ year tradition of naval service to Great Britain and the USA then enjoyed a career with one of the largest advertising and public relations agencies working with numerous Fortune 500 companies and many of America's premier educational institutions. He maintains friendships and acquaintanceships around the world. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.

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Feces in a Fish Bowl and 32 Pounds of Pennies

March 3rd, 2008 • Richard Cochrane
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Do people just protest to protest these days.Two and a half dozen 7th and 8th graders at Readington Middle School (RMS) in Hunterdon County, New Jersey aren’t happy with the half hour allotted for lunch every day but they weren’t getting any attention. So without violence, fire bombs or gunfire and in the finest American tradition - think “Boston Tea Party” – they made their point by paying for there lunched with 32 pounds of pennies (5,800).

School administrators declared the “Readington 29″ disrespectful and gave them two days detention to “work with students to harness their zeal and use their organizational skills toward productive activities.”

That went over like feces in a fish bowl and the protest is spreading as other students boycott lunch entirely costing the school district its federal and state lunch subsidy. SKOOL BUREAUCRATS are backing and filling before the entire student body shows up with wheel barrow loads of pennies. Seems to me the students were the teachers for this civics lesson. Wasn’t is Sam Adams who said, “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: Superintendent Jordan Schiff jschiff@readington.k12.nj.us (908) 534-2195 and Readington Principal Catherine Hollinger chollinger@readington.k12.nj.us (908) 534-2113.

Remember follow the lesson of the “Readington 29” keep it civil but underscore the lesson taught and hopefully learned. Thanks to Chuck Muth for this tidbit.

There Are 2 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Sam Ervin Jret. on 7 March 2008:

    “and a little child shall lead them”….Bible

    “teach your parents well”…Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young

  2. Comment by Sharon on 8 March 2008:

    This sound like typical behavior in the grown up world. If you look at other aspects of society like race, protesting has has become a tireless effort. Black’s have won their rights in this country yet they continue to protest. It’s easy to keep blaming a system for failure instead of looking at their own family values, crime rates, jobless rates and so on… Think of the billions of dollars wasted on education, housing, prisons, social programs because a minority group won’t stand up and take personable responsabiliy.

    At least Bull Cosby has the courage to stand up and show the world what people try to deny.

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