Kindergarten coloring – Rules #88342 and #88343

Too good not to share from IllinoisPathology.org – The Voice of Illinois Pathologists by Promoting and Advocating for Pathology as a Physician Specialty. Kudos to Mickey Doyle.

It’s in the future and there is a new type of kindergarten class … where teaching is mixed with economics.   Let’s listen in…

“Good Morning Class.  I am your teacher, Ms. Clara Marie Smith.  Now that you are back from your holiday break and it’s the new year, I want to go over a few new rules that went into effect while you were on vacation…on January 1.

“We are going to change the way we do art class.  From now on, I will pay you for your art work.  $1 per completed picture.  And remember you have to buy your supplies.

“Our first project is a clown picture.  I want you to color the clown with at least 3 colors , so I can correctly identify it as a clown.  So go ahead and get started.”

But Mickey Doyle, one of the students, asks “But Ms.  Clara, the crayons are $0.50.  So if I try to color the one cartoon with three crayons, it will cost me more than you are going to pay me.  How can I afford that?  I won’t be able to buy my lunch today. Before we went for winter break we used to be able to do it the best way…”

“Sorry Mickey…just do your best”.  So Mickey has an idea.  He realizes that if he colors one picture with all three colors, he will lose money and not be able to buy lunch.  But if he paints three pictures, each with one color, he will still be able to buy his lunch and eat after he pays his bill for the crayons.

“Ms. Clara, the picture doesn’t look right if I have to use three colors to do the project on three pages, but I can’t buy lunch if I color the one picture to make it really look good.  If I do the project on three pieces of paper…I really can’t see the clown in the best way to know it’s the clown.  Why do we have to do it this way?  Why?  It doesn’t make sense. I still have to buy my crayons for the project and they are not cheaper if I use them separately.  I still have to use all of the colors because I am trying to do the best job that I can.  Why do I have to color three sheets to get paid fairly, when things would look much better if I could do them all on one page?  Why am I penalized for doing the project correctly?”

Ms. Clara Marie Smith replies, “Mickey, rules are rules.  This the way the school board told me to enforce the rules, even if they don’t make sense.  These are the rules they wrote.  See right here in the rule book…these are rules #88342 and #88343.   Just do your best.”

So Mickey pulled out three sheets of paper, bought his three crayons and colored his clown the best way he could by following the rules.  And Micky said, “Ms. Clara, I don’t think the school board knows ANYTHING about coloring.”

Source: IllinoisPathology.org