Brickbat: The Tall Poppy

Bjørn Hovdal / Dreamstime.com

A teen in Turin, Italy, whose name wasn't released, was suspended from his school during the previous school year for 10 days after teachers found he had a thriving business bringing snacks and drinks to school to sell to other students. They recently found he was still at it and suspended him for another 15 days. When the story broke of his latest suspension, several companies offered him a job and he got at least one scholarship offer because of his entrepreneurship. In turn, that led about 500 of the school's 1,700 students to stage a protest outside the school, saying the boy should not be rewarded for "illegal" activity and demanding scholarships for themselves.

Comments

[The Hyperbole]

Some entrepreneur, never learned the first lesson of dealing in contraband. He doesn't need a scholarship he needs to watch more mob flicks.

[Wizard4169]

Given that nearly a third of the student body consists of proud authority-worshiping narcs, it's no wonder he got caught.

[Suthenboy]

"...500 of the school's 1,700 students to stage a protest outside the school, saying the boy should not be rewarded for "illegal" activity and demanding scholarships for themselves."

What could scream "Europe is Fucked!" louder than this?

[anon]

Hitler?

[some guy]

If the other 1200 students counter-protested there would be hope, but we all know they didn't.

[Microaggressor]

$20 says this "protest" was organized by the teachers/administrators.

[dantheserene]

"We didn't do anything, give us free stuff!"

[JayU]

This has nothing to do with heroin.

[Radioactive]

it all comes down to deadly white powders...

[Social Darwinist]

Notice the protesting students were not demanding similar job offers just similar scholarships.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The boy's suspension period will be spent volunteering with a charity selected by the school next year.

This just in: Area charity suddenly begins turning a profit.

[prolefeed]

"Volunteering"?

He should tell the school authorities to go fuck themselves. Along with the 500 protesters.

[Radioactive]

fuck all of the 500 who identify as girls...

[Radioactive]

that day

[some guy]

Italian grade schools use that term the same way the American military does, apparently.

[Robert]

With the bids he got to other schools, he has a very easy way to tell them to fuck themselves.

[JeremyR]

Something like that happened here. Kids were bringing in snacks and such to sell. The school district put an end to it.

So the teachers started doing it.

[JeremyR]

(I should note, this started after the school got rid of its vending machines.)

[anon]

Forseeable consequences are not unintended.

[Brochetta's magic (((pants)))]

Teachers unionized?

[anon]

So the teachers started doing it.

Not surprised at all that teachers are basically dumber, less charismatic politicians. Not that I value those particular things (charisma etc), just objservations of qualities most successful politicians possess.

[qjkxbmwvz]

It's understandable that the decision to give a scholarship to the student suspended for abusive snack-selling has provoked a certain upset among his peers.

Sounds as if the school's snack prices were more abusive.

[anon]

Slavers gotta stamp out that free will before those kids realize they like it.

Been gone a few years. I see, as expected, that absolutely nothing has changed in the relationship between individuals and those who would dominate them.

[some guy]

I see, as expected, that absolutely nothing has changed in the relationship between individuals and those who would dominate them.

It never does.

[anon]

abusive snack selling

AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH

Anyone that doesn't immediately laugh in the face of the person making that statement is a fucking idiot, regardless of any and all other circumstances.

[Pompey: Ho Class Mothersmucker]

I got to "500" and was hoping the other students were gonna defend the snack sales of the boy. *sigh* Not so much.

[The Fusionist]

IIRC, Turin used to be considered part of the thriving industrial North of Italy, a welcome contrast to the backwardness of the South.

[The Fusionist]

Check this out:

"Torino became the capital of the newly proclaimed United Italy in 1861. In 1865 the capital was moved to Rome, but since 1870 the capital of Italy has been Rome. It was around this time that Torino began a rapid industrialization period. After WWI, conflicts between workers and industrialists began. The first strikes took place in 1920, when the Lingotto factory was occupied.

"After WWII, Torino was quickly rebuilt and its industries greatly developed. This resulted in waves of immigration, notably in the southern regions of Italy. The population reached 1 million by 1960. In the 1980s, industrial crisis hit the city and its population began to decline. In 2005, the population was 908,000."

[The Fusionist]

The second sentence should say "Florence" instead of "Rome."

[AdamJ]

So it's the Cleveland of Italy?

[pan fried wylie]

With only a 10% decline over 45years? Try harder, Cleavlino.

[The Fusionist]

Speaking of poppies and related products...if you look *very* carefully, you may notice some subtle 60s drug references.

[BigT]

I thought Big Poppy retired.

[Crusty Juggler]

Cheese Wagstaff was in Italy?

[Rich]

The boy's suspension ... 15 days will not be consecutive, in order to minimize disruption to his schoolwork.

With all due respect, then why suspend him?

[The Grinch]

Kid needs a vacation maybe? Sounds like he's been working pretty hard.

[gaoxiaen]

He's probably not too upset. He can probably still peddle his stuff right past the schoolground boundary and not deal with the hassle of being a student.

[The Grinch]

Does the mob operate in NW Italy? Maybe the gents from the local social club should send some enforcers out to reeducate these folks. Nothing too bad, mind you, just some bruises and maybe a few broken bones-really give them something to whine about.

[Radioactive]

who do you think is wholesaling that poison to him, huh?

[Juice]

Ha! I used to do that in middle school. Sodas were contraband there (even in the 80s). I would buy them before school for $3 a six pack of 16 oz bottles, bring them to school and sell them for $1 a piece. I'd net $6-9 a day depending on whether I wanted to lug 2 or 3 six packs that day. Did it for a while. My sock drawer was loaded with one dollar bills. Not bad for a 12 year old whose parents gave him zero personal cash ever.

[gaoxiaen]

I remember when kids in high school sold acid and pot. My how times have changed.

[pan fried wylie]

Better margins on the soda.

[Radioactive]

and hopefully less gun fire...

[The Grinch]

I did the same thing intermittently with potato chips and other snacks (easier to hide than drinks). It was a good way to make a little extra money when I needed it.

[Radioactive]

did you pimp your girl friend out on the side too?

[thepasswordispassword]

Ah the good old days. We didn't have contraband so I simply loaned money out for people to buy heat lamp pizza and burritos. With a 25? per day convenience fee on $1-5 dollar loans that almost never got paid back until 2-3 days later it was a tidy little profit.

[dantheserene]

What about "enforcement" costs? Did you keep that in-house, or hire muscle on an as-needed basis?

[Radioactive]

god love a lead pipe...

[Trigger Hippie]

"that led about 500 of the school's 1,700 students to stage a protest outside the school, saying the boy should not be rewarded for "illegal" activity and demanding scholarships for themselves."

Holy. Fucking. Woosh.

[Robert]

Obeying rules, in Italy? Pshaw!

[OldJim]

I used to do the same thing as a kid, and I seem to recall my school frowning upon it. I guess things never change.