Maybe it's the food they eat...

I was surprised this morning when I came across a story about a second Florida student being disciplined for having gas. I'd even say I was a little shocked. Ok, it's completely unbelievable to me! It's a bodily function people! Get a grip!!

Just in case you missed it, I'll remind you of the first student.

Back on November 4, 2008, a 13 year old Spectrum Junior-Senior High School student was ARRESTED for passing gas in school. Arrested. Isn't that crazy?

Authorities said he was passing gas and that he also turned off his classmates' computers. A report from the Martin County Sheriff's Office said the boy "continually disrupted his classroom environment" by intentionally breaking wind. He was charged with disruption of school function and released to his mother. I guess I can see a boy thinking that was funny but to arrest him? No way.

Then this morning I saw the newest flatulence offender...

A 15 year old eighth grader from Lakeland Florida.

The bus driver said the boy was passing gas on the bus Monday to make the other children laugh. He also said that the boy created "a stench so bad that it was difficult to breathe." That's some bad gas now. And I can judge gas since I live with several gas passers (My husband and my cats are all offenders...). It's got to be some mighty powerful stuff to make it difficult to breathe.

The boy was suspended from riding the school bus for three days even though he said he wasn't the one passing gas. The bus driver didn't even give the boy the suspension notice until the next day. I don't get that part. Why not address the matter immediately? Why wait until the next day?

I have a couple major problems with this second incident all jokes aside. First, why not open the windows? Do school bus windows not open anymore? I can remember it being over 100 degrees outside and we'd have every window on the bus open. And the driver has a small window by them too. Why couldn't he open that and give himself some fresh air? I just think that's a pretty petty thing to complain about. Have you ever been in the store and walked down an aisle that someone just passed gas on? Maybe we should confront them and tell them they can't come in the store for three days because they passed gas.

The second thing is the fact that because he had gas (IF he is the guilty one), he now has to find alternate means to get to school. I personally rode the school bus every day of my high school career. I rode it on the first day of school and I rode it on the LAST day of school. My parents worked. We weren't allowed to drive. We definitely weren't allowed to ride in anyone else's car (even though we snuck a few times). The bus was our only choice. If I had been kicked off the bus for any amount of time I would have caused a huge issue. (Not to mention I would have gotten my butt whipped pretty darn good.)

So needless to say, I think it's ridiculous that these students got in trouble for gas. There are so many bad things happening in the world and we're going to arrest a teenager for farting. That makes sense.