Detention for Candy

The story below makes me think of what would have happened in my house when I was growing up if a similar situation were to arise. I too would have come home afraid to tell my mom that I was getting a weeks detention for breaking a rule except in my case, and in many of my contemporaries, I suspect, it wouldn't have mattered what the rule was, breaking it was grounds for a concurrent sentence at home. If she felt that the punishment was a little harsh or did not fit the crime, she would not tell me. She would take it up, if at all neccesary, with the teacher privately. However the incident described in this story was no where near the point that would raise my mothers ire at the teacher or the school but even if it was I would never have known it, not even today. Parents and teachers are too often adversaries rather than teamates these days, often in a competition to see who can be more popular with the kids, who can be the better buddy. Was one week detention too harsh? I don't think so, assuming the rule and the consequences for breaking it were known by the students. Consequences mean nothing if not applied and they only become unfair when not applied eqauly to all.