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Pepper spray is a common product used both for self-defense for civilians and by members of law enforcement. More recently, the chemical has been used in schools, both by staff and students, as a mode of discipline and self-protection. While some students and school officials believe the use of pepper spray is warranted in some situations, many other students and their parents are voicing concern about dangerous chemicals used on students without good judgment. To help you make your own decision, we'll analyze a few of the pepper spray cases that have recently come to light in school districts across the country.

Birmingham Schools Using Pepper Spray as Disciplinary Measure

School resource officials in Birmingham public schools have been using the pepper spray they are given to provide discipline in a host of situations. In fact, the use of pepper spray has become prevalent enough to prompt a civil rights group to protest its use. According to a report at , the Southern Poverty Law Center has demanded that school resource officers in Birmingham city schools refrain from using the chemical spray on students who are fighting, talking, or otherwise disrupting school activity.

In a letter written to Birmingham board attorney Afrika Parchman, the group states, "The use of such weapons against school children is a clear and egregious violation of students' rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. Moreover, the use of chemical weapons on school

Few would deny that the education system in the United States is ripe for a major overhaul. After all, this country has slipped from the top spot for education down to around the tenth – at about the same place as Lithuania. Another concern is that disparities between poor and wealthy students are consistently growing, as the "haves" seem to get more educational opportunities to excel and the "have-nots" get less.

While many theories have been contemplated about how to raise the bar on the standard of education in this country, one factor appears to be untouched – the quality of the teachers in public schools today. Why the lack of accountability for these professionals entrusted with the future of our country? Tenure seems to be the primary answer. Teachers that achieve tenure are difficult to fire, no matter what offenses they may practice in the classroom.

As we describe the process to fire an inept teacher in many school districts across the country, it becomes easy to see why principals would often rather put up with incompetent teachers than go through the red tape and headache to replace them.

Teachers Dismissed for Poor Performance

According to a recent article in , few inept teachers are ever dismissed from their positions. In 2008, New York fired three out of 30,000 tenured teachers for just cause. In Chicago, the number of teachers dismissed for poor performance between 2005 and 2008 was

School cafeteria food has never been a particularly gourmet experience, but parents can at least rest assured the food their children are eating at school is relatively fresh and safe, right? Maybe not. Recent reports about two different school districts suggest that some systems are not as vigilant about food expiration dates as they should be. We'll take a closer look at these expired food allegations and find out what the districts in question are now doing to ensure a safe fare is served to their student body daily.

This video reports on expired food being served in Douglas County schools.

Outdated Food Raising a Ruckus in Boston

Boston schools are currently investigating allegations that the cafeterias may be offering students food that has gone long past its expiration date. According to a report at Boston.com, Councilor at Large John Connolly began his investigation after receiving reports about expired food in some schools around the Boston area. Connolly checked the kitchens of four different schools to see if the reports had any substantial basis. As a result of his personal research, he showed up at a recent City Council meeting with nine photos of food in school cafeterias that had been reportedly frozen for up to two years. This timeframe goes well beyond USDA's freezer storage guidelines and raised serious concerns with educators and parents alike.

After the City Council meeting,

In an industry that has historically been considered mostly recession-proof, the current economic slowdown is taking its toll. Pink slip deadlines are looming at many school districts across the country, where administrators are suddenly faced with the unthinkable task of laying off teachers in the classroom. Severe state budget cuts have forced the hands of many school officials, who are warning parents, students and staff, that the pain of the reductions could be felt across the board. We'll take a look at a few of the districts in the nation that are dealing with the pink slip quandary this year.

Rhode Island Offering Pink Slips to All

Rhode Island may be one of the most dramatic examples of the results of state budget cuts. According to a report in the Providence Journal, Providence had a $57 million shortfall in their budget last year, and they expect the deficit to go even higher this year. The city is planning to pass out pink slips to every single teacher this month, in preparation for the expected layoffs that are to come. Because school officials aren't sure how many staff members will have to be let go, they have decided to issue pink slips to everyone who might find themselves on the chopping block at some point.

This video reports that Rhode Island schools are planning teacher layoffs.

Providence's superintendent Tom Brady told The Providence Journal, "Since the full