Mr. Bambel paced in front of the assembled fourth graders with a stack of papers in his hand.
“Do you know what this is?” he demanded. “It’s a list of safety rules and regulations set forth by your esteemed school board.” The students were not amazed, only one was even curious.
“Tennis shoes with non-marking soles are ONLY to be worn on the the gym floor,” he read. “Now, anyone not wearing tennis shoes will sit out and write sentences!” Half the fourth graders sat out.
They formed a petition at recess and walked the neighborhood for the next two days trying to get signatures. Then one parent, knowing full well nothing would happen, sent the petition to the school board, as a show of support for her slightly depressed fourth grader. She was just proud her daughter finally did something other than sit in her room with the radio up LOUD .
The petition made the local news, school board members and the fourth graders had their spot on TV. The motion was vetoed and while they were at it, they banned Heelies, too.