Inspired By the Alligator Rule Thread ~ When Have You Invoked It?

[Julia M]

Of course, I've never heard it called the alligator rule before, we usually say somethink like "I shouldn't have to tell you NOT to ___________"

Here's my most classic example.

my sister taught high school. The senior class took the bus to Disneyland for Grad Night (about 350 miles away). Of course, there are permission slips and the kids and parents are informed of the rules (ie, dress codes, no alchol or drugs, have to stay in Disneyland, etc)

Families are told if they break the rules, parents will be called and it's the parents responsibility to get the kid home.

So, some kids shoplift and are caught by Disney security. Chaperones are found and parents are called. This is how one parent responds when chaperones call. "You didn't say they couldn't shoplift!
And you know what, I think the parent was correct. I don't think it was explicitely said that the students also had to obey all local, state and federal laws.

(I know that the Alligator law is usually thought of conjuction with kids, but had to share.)

Julia M

 

[Gonz Of Lancashire]

Of course, I've never heard it called the alligator rule before, we usually say somethink like "I shouldn't have to tell you NOT to ___________"

Here's my most classic example.

my sister taught high school. The senior class took the bus to Disneyland for Grad Night (about 350 miles away). Of course, there are permission slips and the kids and parents are informed of the rules (ie, dress codes, no alchol or drugs, have to stay in Disneyland, etc)

Families are told if they break the rules, parents will be called and it's the parents responsibility to get the kid home.

So, some kids shoplift and are caught by Disney security. Chaperones are found and parents are called. This is how one parent responds when chaperones call. "You didn't say they couldn't shoplift!
And you know what, I think the parent was correct. I don't think it was explicitely said that the students also had to obey all local, state and federal laws.

(I know that the Alligator law is usually thought of conjuction with kids, but had to share.)

Julia M

I really hope that your take on what the parent responded with was made tongue-in-cheek. This is why school trips are being cancelled over here because of the mountains of rules and regulations that are having to be drawn up on even the simplest day out, and the way that some parents will jump all over the school if the slightest unforeseen circumstance arises. I think it's pretty much taken that your kids have to abide by the laws of the land. It also shows what a complete waste of space that this parent is.

 

[PryncessChrysty]

You're right - they didn't say it. ::cop: What type of person would even think to say that? That would never even occur to me to turn around and argue that point. I'm amazed by the amount of people that are able to use their lack of common sense in their favor, it's completely ridiculous!! (....or are they actually outsmarting everyone?)

It reminds me of that brilliant person that burned THEMSELVES with a cup of coffee, won a giant lawsuit, and now all companies are required to print "Caution: Contents may be extremely hot" on all of their cups! I mean, come on...really!

 

[stm61]

um, let's see, there was the "you never said we couldn't lock the cat in the chicken coop" incident. Poor kitty was traumitized for life! The skate boarding off the back deck incident. The "send your sister down the slide from the treehouse backwards" incident. My favorite: the "line up both your sister's on the treadmil, get on behind them, turn it on, and act surprised when they go flying off" incident.That one the girls were about 4 and he was 10, he couldn't figure out why he got blamed. Then there was the time he took white paint and painted his grandmother's dining rm hutch Oh, and the "you never said the cat wouldn't like to surfboard in the pool" thing All of the above were by ds almost 13. I can't wait until he starts driving!

 

[pigletz]

I don't have any kids but I've had to invoke this in the classroom many times. My favorite was last year when one of my students cut himself with scissors. Not just any scissors but safety scissors. My eighth graders were working on a project and I was helping a studnent who had missed school the day before when all of a sudden another student started screaming. Now, I am always aware of what is going on in my classroom but I cannot always see everything at once. It never occured to me that one of my students would cut himself since I only use safety scissors. Yes, this brilliant child thought it would be a good idea to try and cut his face with safety scissors. I don't know how he did it. His mother had a fit. I didn't know what to tell her except there's nothing I can do if your child hasn't learned by now that you don't play with scissors around your face. Needless to say I've now added "Please don't try and cut yourself with the scissors" whenever I need to bring them out.

 

[Cool-Beans]

"Please don't try and cut yourself with the scissors" whenever I need to bring them out.

Consider adding, "or your hair or anyone else's hair."

Though may not help.

One of the kids' teachers called me and told me she gave the following speech: "You may not stand up with your scissors. You may not carry them when walking around the room. You may not cut your hair or anyone's else's hair. Scissors are for cutting PAPER and NOTHING ELSE." After this speech, during cutting time, my son cut big chunks of hair off the top of his head.