That could've been Donald Trump 

So... two topics have been in the news these past few weeks: certain students' behavior in the classroom and presidential candidate Donald Trump. Here's where they intersect. 
I recently picked up an old biography of Donald Trump written in 1985 ("Trump" by Jerome Tuccille.) The following passage can be found on page 32. It seems that even one of the leading presidential candidates is guilty of assaulting teachers in the classroom (yes, throwing objects at someone is assault). 

A few observations: 
1. This took place at Kew Forest School, a "small private school... on the edge of Forest Hills, which is an even more exclusive community than Jamaica Estates." Donald Trump's father "was on the board of directors and was one of its most generous financial supporters. In addition to donating money money to fundraising drives, he helped the school with its construction projects, lending building materials and even a work crew now and then when a new wing had to be added. So the question of discipling Donald was one that had to be handled delicately; Fred Trump was too valuable an asset to risk alienating him." So that's nice. 

2. "Trump" was written like a semi-official biography, and throughout the book Jerome Tuccille portrays Donald Trump in a pretty positive light. Which makes me wonder what other liberties young Donald took in school which *didn't* make it into the book. 

3. These transgressions occurred while Donald Trump was in grade school. When people talk about the good ol' days, do they mean back when kids could throw erasers at teachers? Or back when rich white kids could throw erasers at teachers? (This reminds me of something Mr Burns would've done in a flashback in the Simpsons).

4. Some people would consider throwing erasers at teachers a misdemeanor. The author calls such behavior "youthful exuberance," "boundless enthusiasm," "energy," and "drive."

5. I've read comments which start with "If that was my kid...." If you read the paragraph above the highlighting, apparently Fred Trump had the same thought and tried to discipline Donald, but failed. In fact, both the author and Donald Trump make it seem like rebellion is an enviable virtue.

6. For his part Fred Trump eventually yanked Donald from Kew Forest and enrolled him in military school (NY Military Academy) where "they straightened him out." That's great, but I'm guessing it wasn't a very long wait list for the Trump Family.

So what's the takeaway here? 

If anyone wants to borrow the book before the primaries I'll be happy to mail it to you... but first I need to see if this United States Football League takes off.