You're not my best friend anymore

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

A proposed ban on calling someone your best friend?

I thought this was an Onion story at first

[Sirius_]

Not only is it a pointless rule, it's an unenforceable rule, the best kind of pointless rule.

[Person Man]

Not only is it a pointless rule, it's an unenforceable rule, the best kind of pointless rule.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Perhaps if we work hard enough at "inclusiveness", we will bleach out of our society all evidence of intimacy and spontainiety.  This article ought to validate all those folks who were criticized for making "too big a thing" of the issue of "political correctness".  This very issue is a caricature of political correctness; liberal elites in education attempting to regulate not just the behavior of children (an OK goal in most cases), but the thoughts and feelings kids have and the process by which they learn intimacy with others.

It would be a great thing if our society progressed to a point where kids friendship circles got to the point where it reflected the "rainbow coalition", with folks having a set of friends across the demographic spectrum.  But FORCING this at the expense of the intimate relationship of a best friend, a child's first intimate experience outside the family unit, taken to its ultimate level, will bring about kids growing up with wider associations, but shallower relationships.  Think about that for a moment and ask yourself if this is going to help kids to grow up to be the kind of marital partners and parents that can be sufficiently intimate with their own kids.

I have been the kid who was not included, or who was a fringe hanger on.  I wasn't real cool growing up.  I had some girlfriends, but I wasn't real popular with girls, and I was real awkward and clumsy around them, putting my foot in my mouth, etc.  But I did have best friends, and this was the saving grace for myself, and for any number of kids in school.  There are kids who have no friends, and that is sad.  But "forced inclusiveness" isn't the real answer to it; it's just an attempt to show that "the school" is "doing something".  

I would also suggest that this is part of a movement to drain society of intimacy by people who are scared of it.  I certainly don't approve of sexual battery or assault, but a certain amount of sexual harrassment, and even a certain amount of domestic violence, is a function of folks trying to be intimate and failing miserably at it.  Yes, people have the right to be safe in their homes and in their persons, period.  But is the solution to these problems to rob society of all intimacy so no one gets hurt?  

[Person Man]

Perhaps if we work hard enough at "inclusiveness", we will bleach out of our society all evidence of intimacy and spontainiety.  This article ought to validate all those folks who were criticized for making "too big a thing" of the issue of "political correctness".  This very issue is a caricature of political correctness; liberal elites in education attempting to regulate not just the behavior of children (an OK goal in most cases), but the thoughts and feelings kids have and the process by which they learn intimacy with others.

It would be a great thing if our society progressed to a point where kids friendship circles got to the point where it reflected the "rainbow coalition", with folks having a set of friends across the demographic spectrum.  But FORCING this at the expense of the intimate relationship of a best friend, a child's first intimate experience outside the family unit, taken to its ultimate level, will bring about kids growing up with wider associations, but shallower relationships.  Think about that for a moment and ask yourself if this is going to help kids to grow up to be the kind of marital partners and parents that can be sufficiently intimate with their own kids.

I have been the kid who was not included, or who was a fringe hanger on.  I wasn't real cool growing up.  I had some girlfriends, but I wasn't real popular with girls, and I was real awkward and clumsy around them, putting my foot in my mouth, etc.  But I did have best friends, and this was the saving grace for myself, and for any number of kids in school.  There are kids who have no friends, and that is sad.  But "forced inclusiveness" isn't the real answer to it; it's just an attempt to show that "the school" is "doing something".  

I would also suggest that this is part of a movement to drain society of intimacy by people who are scared of it.  I certainly don't approve of sexual battery or assault, but a certain amount of sexual harrassment, and even a certain amount of domestic violence, is a function of folks trying to be intimate and failing miserably at it.  Yes, people have the right to be safe in their homes and in their persons, period.  But is the solution to these problems to rob society of all intimacy so no one gets hurt?  

You are absolutely right but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make things better. There are going to be a few good ideas in doing this and admittedly, a lot of bad ideas.

[publicunofficial]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

[Sirius_]

Perhaps if we work hard enough at "inclusiveness", we will bleach out of our society all evidence of intimacy and spontainiety.  This article ought to validate all those folks who were criticized for making "too big a thing" of the issue of "political correctness".  This very issue is a caricature of political correctness; liberal elites in education attempting to regulate not just the behavior of children (an OK goal in most cases), but the thoughts and feelings kids have and the process by which they learn intimacy with others.

It would be a great thing if our society progressed to a point where kids friendship circles got to the point where it reflected the "rainbow coalition", with folks having a set of friends across the demographic spectrum.  But FORCING this at the expense of the intimate relationship of a best friend, a child's first intimate experience outside the family unit, taken to its ultimate level, will bring about kids growing up with wider associations, but shallower relationships.  Think about that for a moment and ask yourself if this is going to help kids to grow up to be the kind of marital partners and parents that can be sufficiently intimate with their own kids.

I have been the kid who was not included, or who was a fringe hanger on.  I wasn't real cool growing up.  I had some girlfriends, but I wasn't real popular with girls, and I was real awkward and clumsy around them, putting my foot in my mouth, etc.  But I did have best friends, and this was the saving grace for myself, and for any number of kids in school.  There are kids who have no friends, and that is sad.  But "forced inclusiveness" isn't the real answer to it; it's just an attempt to show that "the school" is "doing something".  

I would also suggest that this is part of a movement to drain society of intimacy by people who are scared of it.  I certainly don't approve of sexual battery or assault, but a certain amount of sexual harrassment, and even a certain amount of domestic violence, is a function of folks trying to be intimate and failing miserably at it.  Yes, people have the right to be safe in their homes and in their persons, period.  But is the solution to these problems to rob society of all intimacy so no one gets hurt?  

You are absolutely right but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make things better. There are going to be a few good ideas in doing this and admittedly, a lot of bad ideas.

I agree with the analyses by Fuzzy Bear as well as well as Angry_Weasel here. If the school legitimate wants to fix things then they should help people make friends rather than forcing friendship. It would make more sense to have more opportunities for people with common interests to meet. Having relationships with other people is an important part of life and development, and having true friendships is much more beneficial than forced ones.

[Sirius_]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

This isn't reactionary, maybe read the insightful post made by Fuzzy Bear. Also don't even try to bring race into this.

[Fuzzy Bear]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

As you are not a parent who has had to deal with the experience of having a child in today's public school system, you have no real idea of the kind of stupid and unfathomable ideas today's public educators and board of ed members can conjure up.  As for me, I'll swat the bug before a whole swarm is upon me.

[publicunofficial]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

This isn't reactionary, maybe read the insightful post made by Fuzzy Bear. Also don't even try to bring race into this.

Freaking out about PC culture and the pussification of America is reactionary. And white men are the most likely to have reactionary viewpoints.

[RINO Tom]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

Why can't you just say that this is a really, really, really ing dumb idea?  LOL.

[Fuzzy Bear]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

Why can't you just say that this is a really, really, really ing dumb idea?  LOL.

The young, inexperienced, publicunofficial hasn't grasped the concept yet of the amount of traction "A Bad Idea Whose Time Has Come" can get. 

[Cashew]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

Why can't you just say that this is a really, really, really ing dumb idea?  LOL.

The young, inexperienced, publicunofficial hasn't grasped the concept yet of the amount of traction "A Bad Idea Whose Time Has Come" can get. 

Hey, don't pin this on young people.

[Fuzzy Bear]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

Why can't you just say that this is a really, really, really ing dumb idea?  LOL.

The young, inexperienced, publicunofficial hasn't grasped the concept yet of the amount of traction "A Bad Idea Whose Time Has Come" can get. 

Hey, don't pin this on young people.

I don't, and I admit that Old Fart Syndrome has set in a bit.

Indeed, this is something being done TO young people.  However well-meaning, it's pretty ridiculous.

[publicunofficial]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

Why can't you just say that this is a really, really, really ing dumb idea?  LOL.

The young, inexperienced, publicunofficial hasn't grasped the concept yet of the amount of traction "A Bad Idea Whose Time Has Come" can get. 

"Look at this idiot. Not freaking out over nothing, not like me, genius 60 year old who still goes on internet forums"

[Lord Admirale]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

Why can't you just say that this is a really, really, really ing dumb idea?  LOL.

The young, inexperienced, publicunofficial hasn't grasped the concept yet of the amount of traction "A Bad Idea Whose Time Has Come" can get. 

"Look at this idiot. Not freaking out over nothing, not like me, genius 60 year old who still goes on internet forums"

You're here though....

[America's Sweetheart ❤/𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖞 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖗]

Well, this is a bit odd.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Schools exist in a constant state of panic these days, and stupid things like this are the results.

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

As you are not a parent who has had to deal with the experience of having a child in today's public school system, you have no real idea of the kind of stupid and unfathomable ideas today's public educators and board of ed members can conjure up.  As for me, I'll swat the bug before a whole swarm is upon me.

As a kid who's actually personally in school still, you're overblowing this. Bluntly, schools don't do remotely close to enough to help kids.

[Figueira]

In some social circles, people refer to all of their good friends as their best friend.

[HillGoose]

This article is literally one guy speculating on rumors that some schools in England might do this, and was likely written exclusively to get rage clicks from reactionary white men like yourself.

As you are not a parent who has had to deal with the experience of having a child in today's public school system, you have no real idea of the kind of stupid and unfathomable ideas today's public educators and board of ed members can conjure up.  As for me, I'll swat the bug before a whole swarm is upon me.

i was better off when i went to public school than when i went to catholic school, because public school doesn't encourage children to attack those who are not exactly like themselves.

the schools aren't the problem, the parents of the bad children are.