Valentine's Day and Public School

So Micah (our 8th grader) brings home a permission we are supposed to sign, for the upcoming "Valentine's Day" thingy at his school. This isn't actually for the big day itself - instead, it happens a couple of days before - they pull the kids out of school for a half day to take them to a nearby elementary school where they will help little munchkins make valentines.

Me: "What the heck??? What's THAT have to do with education?"

Micah: "Well, it's kind of like 'Pumpkin Day' - we did the same thing right before Halloween, went and helped the elementary kids carve pumpkins. And if I don't go I get in-school suspension...

Me: (incredulously) "Pumpkin Day???"

Micah: "Yeah, Connor's kid threw up on him."

Me: "Threw up on him? You mean, like all over him?"

Micah: "Nah, just all over the table right in front of him. Connor had just cut open the pumpkin to clean out the guts and he said, 'Hey, I'll give you a quarter to stick your hand in the pumpkin.' The the kid said 'Ok!' and stuck his hand right into the pumpkin and then just barfed all over."

Marilyn: "Did Connor get in trouble?"

Micah: "Nah. I mean, how could he have known the kid was going to throw up when he stuck his hand in the pumpkin?"

Me: "Hey, you could help some little squirt come up with a really good valentine, like 'Will you be my girl from Nordakota?' (with Molly's joke on the back of it)."

Micah: (turning beet red) "DAD!!! That's just WRONG! Now can I go or not?"

Me: "Ok, ok, just tell me where to sign..."

Wow. I had no idea public school could be so much fun.