I was talking to somebody who got a detention today. It was because they were chewing gum. You probably know that it's not often allowed in most schools.
If you didn't, now you do.

"But I don't get it," they said. "I know that you can't chew gum in school. But a 30 minute detention? This is my first time!"
They later continued, with, "And he took it real personally, too. It was like it was a huge insult to him!"
"Maybe his parents were killed by gum makers?" I suggested. That didn't help too much.

One time I did ask a teacher why we can't chew gum in school. They said, "Because, if you choke on it, we'll be held liable." To that I say: no. Good guess, but I don't think that's the real reason.

Even if the school was held liable for us choking on gum, would that mean that if we choked on our lunch, that the school would still be liable? Even if it's from somewhere else? Does this mean that I could "accidentaly" choke on my lunch and make big bucks from a lawsuit? Yeah, right.

It's probably because nobody likes gum in places that it doesn't belong. Gum should only be in one's mouth or the trash after it has been consumed (or is that chewed?). Nobody wants to see it underneath a desk. Why not just say that?

I'm done now.