CPSIA on the rocks

YankeeMGboy2 As noted earlier in this space, many ordinary rocks — you know, the kind you kick with your foot — flunk the exceedingly stringent lead limits in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. And that’s not all, as Rick Woldenberg relates:

… if foolish educational companies want to sell rocks to schools or for inclusion in educational kits sold in toy stores, they must now test the rocks not only for lead but also for sharp points. Yes, rocks with sharp points need to be restricted under ASTM F963 for children aged eight years old or younger. The CPSC has yet to issue guidance to millions of curious Americans on how to manage this exposure when walking to the park or playing catch with the dog in the backyard. …

Is there a testing standard for rocks in the head? Is the concern lead, sharp points or that irritating rattling noise?

Per the Woldenberg entry we linked in May, “Michael Warring of American Educational Products reports that a school opted to stop using AmEP’s rocks to teach Earth Science and will instead rely on a POSTER.”

PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGE from Benjamin Cobb, Yankee Mother Goose (Ella Brison, illustrator), courtesy ChildrensLibrary.org.

Filed under: CPSIA, schools

Parents settle Ohio student arm-branding case

“School board members in Mount Vernon agreed Wednesday night to resolve a federal lawsuit by paying $5,500 to the boy and his family and $115,500 to their lawyers.” [AP/NBC4i] We covered the case, in which a teacher is alleged to have branded a cross onto a pupil’s arm, in July; the teacher, John Freshwater, has himself filed a civil rights action against the school district charging religious discrimination, and a suit by the parents against Freshwater remains ongoing.

Filed under: attorneys' fees, Ohio, schools

August 17 roundup

Liability protection for doctors, premised on “best-practices” medicine: a proposal to address the federalism difficulties [Bernstein/MacCourt, MI Center for Medical Progress, PoL]
Fraud in immigration law victimizes both U.S. and aspiring immigrants [NYT]
Paralyzed while tackling opponent, high school footballer now suing Barre, Vt. school system [Barre-Montpelier Times Argus]
Memo to Sen. Edwards: voters forgave Grover Cleveland the paternity, but they do mind lies [Mickey Kaus]
Issue in New Orleans case: defamatory to call tour guides “thugs”? [Times-Picayune]
No more Lux et Veritas: Yale press wimps out on Mohammed cartoons [NYT, Moynihan/Reason “Hit and Run”, Steyn/NRO “Corner”, Hitchens]
More on NYC woman’s “wasted-tuition” suit against college [Mark Gimein, NY Mag via Genova, earlier]
Do we really want to let CPSIA’s drafters within a mile of redesigning our health care system? [Inoculated]

Filed under: colleges and universities, federalism, football, immigration law, John Edwards, libel slander and defamation, medical, medical malpractice, New Orleans, schools, Vermont

For fear of choking

Schools across the United Kingdom are enacting rules against traditionally tied boys’ neckties in favor of clip-ons, citing safety concerns. [BBC via Free Range Kids]

Filed under: safety, schools, United Kingdom

After forty years

The Philadelphia School District expects to reach a final settlement in a busing suit brought four decades ago. [Inquirer]

Filed under: discrimination law, Philadelphia, schools

June 12 roundup

Judge in Van Buren County, Michigan won’t approve adoptions unless one parent promises to stay home [Ken at Popehat]
Critical view of proposed Performance Rights Act, under which radio would pay new fees to artists and copyright owners [Jesse Walker, Reason]
Student threatens to sue school district: “You can say she was an exotic dancer and she was 18, but it was not an equal relationship.” [Boston Herald, columnist Margery Eagan, Worcester Telegram]
More attention for U.S. Chamber’s movie trailers promoting awareness of lawsuit abuse [NY Times]
Train didn’t actually strike her car at dicey RR crossing after gate closed behind her, but New York woman’s suing Metro-North anyway for the bad scare [Westchester, N.Y. Journal-News]
Uh-oh: Defamation-and-privacy section of American Association of Law Schools keeps electing as leaders feminist lawprofs known for speech-restrictionist views [Greenfield, earlier]
Cows and vows don’t mix: Oregon county says weddings may not be held on farm-zoned land [KTVZ]
Paul Offit, author of noteworthy book Autism’s False Prophets, sued by anti-vaccine blogger [Confutata (scroll), Alyric, link to complaint (PDF) at Courthouse News]

Filed under: broadcasters, family law, free speech, land use and zoning, law schools, libel slander and defamation, music and musicians, schools, strippers and exotic dancers, train, vaccines

Background check — for your kid’s school party

At her great new site, Free Range Kids, Lenore Skenazy hears from a reader in suburban Texas who reports that parents wishing to attend their class holiday party are required to undergo a volunteer background check. Many of her commenters have similar stories — and worse.

Filed under: child abuse, schools

“Rocks are too dangerous for kids to touch”

CPSIA makes itself felt in the science education market.

Filed under: CPSIA, schools

U.K.: “Old school tie is shunned amid safety concerns”

The Guardian: “In its annual review, the Schoolwear Association reports a surge in schools switching to clip-on ties because of the potential strangulation risks of the older version. More than half of schools choosing new ties are switching to clip-ons.”

Filed under: safety, schools, United Kingdom

“Lawsuit filed over ‘sexting’ suicide”

“The family of a Sycamore High student who hanged herself after nude pictures she took on her cell phone were disseminated without her permission is suing the school, the city of Montgomery and several students they believe are involved.” [Cincinnati Enquirer] Jessica Logan was 18 and on spring break at the time. Patrick at Popehat, and earlier Scott Greenfield, have some relevant things to say about both the civil and criminal law angles of the problem.

Filed under: cellphones, prosecution, schools, student suicide