Fourth-grader suspended over Jell-O shots

I find this very sad. Got it off of CNN.com



Fourth-grader suspended over 'Jell-O shots'
Wednesday, December 8, 2004 Posted: 10:12 AM EST (1512 GMT)


NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- An 8-year-old girl was suspended for nine days for bringing to school what appeared to be about 30 "Jell-O shots" -- though it was unclear whether they contained alcohol.

The incident occurred November 29, as the girl stood after classes outside Geraldine Boudreaux Elementary School in Terrytown, a New Orleans suburb. A teacher spotted liquid dripping out of the student's bookbag and found what looked like the small cups of alcohol-laced gelatin that are sold in bars, schools spokesman Jeff Nowakowski said.

The girl told the principal that her mother, who works in a bar, makes alcoholic shots at home and sells them at work. The fourth-grader said her mother had instructed her to take the shots to school and sell them, three for $1, to make some money for Christmas, Nowakowski said.

The gelatin was turned over to the sheriff's department for testing to see if it contained alcohol.

The girl was suspended for violating school rules against possessing or trying to distribute a "lookalike," or something that appears to contain drugs or alcohol.

Under the lookalike rule, the girl's suspension will stand no matter what the sheriff's department finds.

"The school system's position is, it doesn't matter if it had alcohol in it or not," Nowakowski said.

The names of the girl and her mother were not released.

The mother must also allow school officials to test her daughter's hair for signs of drug use, Nowakowski said.

I've seen this story. Why would they punish the girl and not her mother? We are not talking about even a middle schooler here; an 8 year old "good girl" should be doing what her mom tells her.

hmm...sounds like the mother needs a change in career.

Ptichka said:

I've seen this story. Why would they punish the girl and not her mother? We are not talking about even a middle schooler here; an 8 year old "good girl" should be doing what her mom tells her.

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Because if they don't then it will appear as though the school doesn't care. My friend is in public education and explained this to me.

The rule definitely sounds harsh for an 8 year old, but kids are a lot more sophisticated now then most of us were at that time. They teach drug and alcohol education fairly early now since it's so prevalent on TV and the news.

Unfortunately, the school cannot 'punish' Mom. Nothing wrong with Mom's job. If she's telling her daughter to sell them at school, then social services should investigate.

I think lots of schools of look-a-like rules now. If they don't ban both, it would make it tougher for them to control the school - who has real stuff vs fake stuff. I think this would especially hold true for drugs and guns.

I don't think "sophisticated" is the word I'd use... more like subjected to things earlier and are exposed to more "mature"/"adult" things.... it's sick, twisted... our country is becoming more and more un-friendly to children... JMHO

I think this child should be suspended, she should know by now that those things are wrong... at least in Kenai kids know what the "drug" policy is from Kindergarten on as the teachers explain it to them (as best as possible) they even get tested on it..

I would assume Childrens' services will be looking into this case as well, especially if the tests come back positive

Tonichelle said:

I think this child should be suspended, she should know by now that those things are wrong... at least in Kenai kids know what the "drug" policy is from Kindergarten on as the teachers explain it to them (as best as possible) they even get tested on it..

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When a child gets conflicting information from school and parents, what should they believe? I was raised to never just "buy" whatever I was told by officials. Let me give you an example: if school would tell children to spy on their parents and report them to authority, should they do it? There is nothing wrong with the girl violating school policy to help out a parent.

Here is a follow-up article for you guys who are interested:

http://nola.com/search/index.ssf?/base/library-63/1102749909191670.xml?nola

you're right... but there's also the programs in school saying booze and drugs are wrong... it's a fine line, and both sides have good arguments... mom should be prosecuted...

I think the girl should be suspended until it's all sorted out... we had a kid suspended in jr high because he brought a few rounds of ammunition in his jacket, he'd recently been hunting, he didn't have the gun, but it was already too late...


unfortunately, Schools aren't safe anymore (and the administration freaking out every 5 seconds doesnt help) and so drastic measures are being put in place...

if anything this will teach the girl that next time mommy wants her to help her make a buck she should sell something over the table, not under it.

just a few thoughts...

the article says that she's a forth grader, which makes her 10 or 11, not 8. There is a great difference of maturity between those ages.

Mommy needs her head examined! Bars are places for adults to use alcohol recreationally. Jello-shots are (whether alcohoic or non-) an imitation of an adult alcohol delivery system that should not be encouraged in schools or among pre-teens.

How would you feel if the mom gave several rolling papers to the girl and said "here honey, I can't give you any pot to sell, that's illegal (as is selling alcohol to minors, if you get the comparison) go roll what look like joints and see if you can't make some extra christmas money atschool . Since it's not really marijuana, it won't hurt anyone and they can't do anything to you"

I highly encourage younger people to explore making their own money and leaning the value of work at an early age However, I strongly am convinced that schools are places of learning and NOT areas of commerce. I don't believe in anything being "sold" at school...not candy bars, not sodas, not seat cushions, not entertainment books, not magazines, not anything that isn't in line with what students are there for...to learn.

If we are serious about teaching our kids values, how about leaning that commericalism doesn't belong in our schools? I say, if little precious wants to sell Jello shots, let her do it in front of her house after school so everyone can see what kind of job "mom" is doing....betcha Children's Services would take notice then!

Um, a fourth grader would be about eight or nine.

If we are serious about teaching our kids values, how about leaning that commericalism doesn't belong in our schools? I say, if little precious wants to sell Jello shots, let her do it in front of her house after school so everyone can see what kind of job "mom" is doing....betcha Children's Services would take notice then!

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Since when does commercialism not belong in school? How else are extra-circular activities going to be funded...hell, without commercialism, my Law Academy, Asian-American club, and Government Team would not have been able to afford to do a lot of the activities that would have taught about those fields...and in my Government "We the People" team, we wouldn't have even been able to compete as State champions.
The fact is that these schools don't get much funding, and they have no choice but to allow commercialism in school.

BTW, I've seen those jello cups on the news, since I am from New Orleans, and they looked like regular jello cups to me. I'm also not so quick to say the mom and daugther were guilty of seeling alcoholic jello-shots but its nice to know that so many here are willing to believe the mom was guilty after just reading the first article just because she worked at a bar.

VIETgrlTerifa said:

I'm also not so quick to say the mom and daugther were guilty of seeling alcoholic jello-shots but its nice to know that so many here are willing to believe the mom was guilty after just reading the first article just because she worked at a bar.

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I think most people were just saying that child services need to look into it. Personally, I was just saying it seemed to me that suspending the girl was premature.

Ptichka said:

I think most people were just saying that child services need to look into it.

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Maybe, but then some people make comments on how the mom needs to change her job or that the social services will see her unfit at some degree, or making comments on what kind of job the mom is doing...I can't help but think that some have already made up their mind.

Um, a fourth grader would be about eight or nine.

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Typically children start school when they are six years old. Some start later if their birthday is after (generally) September 30th. Some start earlier if they are deemed "age appropriate" and thier birthdays fall before the above mentioned date. This would make the average 4th grader between the ages of 9 and 11. Nine would be THE YOUNGEST the child could be unless she has been "advanced" through grades and the average age of a 4th grader is 10 or 11.

The girl told the principal that her mother, who works in a bar, makes alcoholic shots at home and sells them at work. The fourth-grader said her mother had instructed her to take the shots to school and sell them, three for $1, to make some money for Christmas, Nowakowski said.

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This is from the first article. I've been a bartender before and I find no reason to equate the profession with poor judgement or behavior. That being said, when you make jello shooters in front of your pre-teen daughter and don't EXPRESSLY explain the difference between what you are doing and what you are suggesting she do is negligent. The daughter may be too young to know the difference, the Mom is not.

Since when does commercialism not belong in school? How else are extra-circular activities going to be funded...hell, without commercialism, my Law Academy, Asian-American club, and Government Team would not have been able to afford to do a lot of the activities that would have taught about those fields...and in my Government "We the People" team, we wouldn't have even been able to compete as State champions.
The fact is that these schools don't get much funding, and they have no choice but to allow commercialism in school.

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Viet, as for your school projects and activities, congrats on your participation. However, when I was in choir and went on national tours, we weren't allowed to raise funds in school as it was a church-state conflict. We still managed to raise plenty of money through the community. While I applaud your participation, schools are places of learning not commercial outlets. I would agree with the statement that..." it will be a great day when the air force has to have a bake sale to build a bomber and schools have all the money they need." I would also agree that I grieve for the parents who don't have what averages to be between 10-30 PER WEEK to participate in the "latest fund raiser." I reiterate...schools exist for learning, communities should exist to support them.

Finally, schools DO have a choice of whether to allow commercialism thrive in their environment. It's just no one is willing to make the tough choice and say "NO."

sk8m8, most children in the U.S. start kindergarten around the age of 4-5, at least here in the state of Louisiana.

I agree that commercialism has a lot of negative effects when it is condoned in the school, but the sad fact is that with the way funding goes, it is their only realistic resort. I mean when I was in high school, the school was barely in good shape even with the revenue they made from the vending machines and selling extra food, so I can't imagine how it would have been without that revenue.
I also doubt any of us could've gotten any donations from the community, it's sad but when I was in high school, we were mostly on our own when we needed to raise money.

Regarding the mother, I missed the part you highlighted, so I definitely now see where all the concern comes from by just reading that first article. I actually read and saw the mother protesting the suspension before I saw this thread and didn't know that the child actually said what she said.
However, I guess we'll never really know if the shots really contained alcohol, and from what I saw, they look a lot like regular homemade jello made put in plastic containers.