I have been debating on how to handle this story. Last week a nine year old boy in the Chattanooga suburb of Hixson got mad at his mother while they were in a Dollar General store. The boy went to the rear of the store, found a display of matches, and used them to light some toilet paper on fire. He watched it start then went out of the store and told his mother what he had done. By the time the fire was noticed it was too late. The store was destroyed. The boy has been charged in Juvenile court with aggravated arson and reckless endangerment. The question being debated is whether or not he should be charged so severely. Here are some opinions on it.I understand both arguments. He needs to be punished for his actions, but at age nine did he really understand the consequences of what he was doing. He obviously needs some intensive counseling, but will he get that where the authorities will send him? There is no easy answer to this one. Fortunately nobody died. I just hope there is no rush to judgment and a good solution is found.
I forgot to mention the Cubs game yesterday. On Tuesday the beat the Reds 7-2, but lost yesterday 3-0. They play the Reds again tonight before heading to St. Louis for a weekend series with the Cardinals.
Travis was right about the 4 planets. They are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. I also liked his answer about the plants.Today's question is Grade 3/Math.
True or false? Zero divided by any number except zero equals zero?
I knew this one. 80-16.
3 comments:
I struggle with this concept of trying kids as adults. Did he know that putting matches to the toilet paper would start a fire? Absolutely, but did he realize the consequences beyond that? Science proves that that part of the brain is not developed until the early 20's, but there needs to be accountability as well. Difficult balance.
Something just does not add up here. Unless the store had no sprinkler system or fire alarms of any kind, how could something like that get that out of control before it was noticed? Did the store have no customers other than the little boy and his mother at the time? No one even noticed smoke coming from somewhere, early on?
It will do the child no favors to land on him with both feet and prosecute him as an adult. It will also do him (and the public) no favors NOT to follow up on him to make sure his anger issues are being addressed.
As I recall from 8th grade, zero divided by any number is zero; any number divided by zero is "undefined."
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