when democracy sours

1. Your classroom might have some democratic aspects, but don't pretend it's a democracy.

Especially not in kindergarten.

According to Port St. Lucie police reports, Portillo brought Alex to the front of the classroom that day and asked other students to tell him how his behavior affected them. Alex, who was in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at the time, had left the class twice that day for discipline referrals to the principal’s office.

After classmates talked, Portillo then asked the class to vote on whether Alex should stay in the class. Alex lost the vote, 14 to 2....

[Alex's mother Melissa] Barton in June put the St. Lucie County School District on notice she intends to file a civil lawsuit, claiming discrimination and Alex’s civil rights were violated. She said she expects a lawsuit will be filed by the end of this year.

Portillo's now suspended without pay, and risks losing her teaching license for at least a year.

2. Exchanging one oppressive institution for another, we head to the city jail in Denton.

Mr. Ntel said he was taken to the Denton City Jail, where a jail employee — who was later identified by closed-circuit video as Chris Saunier — dangled a key in front of Mr. Ntel’s face.

“He told me, ‘if you vote for McCain, I’ll let you out right now,’” Mr. Ntel said. “The officer was laughing, but I didn’t think it was funny. He should have been acting like a professional. He shouldn’t have done that.”

Police Chief Roy Minter and his supervisors will decide in the next week what disciplinary action should be taken against Mr. Saunier, Capt. Carter said.

That is why they call it the Tin Star State, right?

[Via the inimitable Obscure Store]