Jolt!

Siji · Post by **Siji** » May 26, 2006, 1:54 pm

http://www.wpxi.com/education/9273029/d ... g&psp=news

Student Suspended Over Chewing Gum

Jolt Chewing Gun Contains Caffeine

POSTED: 10:50 am EDT May 25, 2006
LOWER BURRELL, Pa. -- A Lower Burrell school student is facing a three-day suspension for sharing gum with a classmate.

Jolt chewing gum has caffeine and ginseng.

The Lower Burrell school superintendent said consuming and passing out the gum violates the school's drug awareness policy. That's because caffeine is considered a stimulant.

Parents told Channel 11 they did not understand the suspension.

Resident Elizabeth Grombacher said, "I think it's stupid. Everything's getting too politically correct it's so wrong."

"It's probably just like Mountain Dew or something like that. If it's got a lot of caffeine in it and they probably sell the pop at school,” parent Nita Serene said.

Jolt chewing gum is sold over the counter at drug stores and vitamin distributors.

It's also sold at gas stations, convenience stores and everywhere else that gum is sold. It's actually pretty good flavor wise, but I've never noticed anything from the caffeine - least nothing like the soda version.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » May 26, 2006, 2:05 pm

The same parents saying they don't see the problem are the same ones who would sue the school if their kid had a heart attack or something because of the gum.

Personally I think this whole energy drink/gum craze is going too far. They've said for years that coffee and tea had harmful amounts of caffiene, these things are like 2-3 times as powerful. It's going to come out in a few years that it is harmful to the body to keep ingesting all these artifical energy boosters. Just my 2 cents.

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » May 26, 2006, 2:50 pm

it's GUM! WTF! I am willing to bet they have a coffee machine in the teachers lounge. If one teacher hands another teacher a cup of coffee are they going to get suspended?

miir · Post by **miir** » May 26, 2006, 3:02 pm

They've said for years that coffee and tea had harmful amounts of caffiene

Only when drank to excess...

I have 1, sometimes 2 cups of tea/coffee a day which contains a perfectly safe/healthy amount of caffiene. It's when you get into 5+ cups a day do you come close to ingesting an unhealthy amount of caffeine.

Asheran Mojomaster · Post by **Asheran Mojomaster** » May 26, 2006, 3:03 pm

Midnyte_Ragebringer wrote:The same parents saying they don't see the problem are the same ones who would sue the school if their kid had a heart attack or something because of the gum.

Personally I think this whole energy drink/gum craze is going too far. They've said for years that coffee and tea had harmful amounts of caffiene, these things are like 2-3 times as powerful. It's going to come out in a few years that it is harmful to the body to keep ingesting all these artifical energy boosters. Just my 2 cents.

That seems very true. I could see that happening in a few years. Thats why its all about moderation, the people that drink them every day or every other day are the ones that will have the problem. People who take them on long car drives or for some reason they HAVE to stay up wont have so much of a problem.

Jaeger Bombs are even worse, they are horrible on your heart. They are so damn good though.

miir · Post by **miir** » May 26, 2006, 3:13 pm

A little more info...

Caffeine content (milligrams)

Coffee : 80-120
Red Bull : 80
Jolt : 72
Pepsi One, Mtn Dew : 55
Tea : 50
Jolt Gum : 45
Diet Coke : 45
Mr Pibb : 40
Coke/C2/Pepsi/Diet Pepsi : 34-37
Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate: 31
Green Tea : 15
Lipton Brisk Iced Tea : 9

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » May 26, 2006, 3:52 pm

Wow. I never would have thought the numbers were like that at all. I need to cut down on my coffee intake then.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » May 26, 2006, 3:56 pm

I think the servng size on the pack of jolt gum states that 2 pieces has a similar amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.

I tried the gum, it's actually pretty decent as far as gum goes. While it's difficult to judge it's overall effect on my peppiness, it seems to work as intended in my experience.

If caffeinated soft drinks are readily available to the students, this potential outcome is plain stupid.

Personally I think this whole energy drink/gum craze is going too far. They've said for years that coffee and tea had harmful amounts of caffiene, these things are like 2-3 times as powerful. It's going to come out in a few years that it is harmful to the body to keep ingesting all these artifical energy boosters. Just my 2 cents.

Aren't you the personal responsibility line guy? Can't you just not purchase these products?

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » May 26, 2006, 4:28 pm

I guess it's a good thing I don't drink 2 pots of coffee a day anymore

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » May 26, 2006, 4:58 pm

Chidoro wrote:
Personally I think this whole energy drink/gum craze is going too far. They've said for years that coffee and tea had harmful amounts of caffiene, these things are like 2-3 times as powerful. It's going to come out in a few years that it is harmful to the body to keep ingesting all these artifical energy boosters. Just my 2 cents.
Aren't you the personal responsibility line guy? Can't you just not purchase these products?

Good point. I suppose if they put the proper warnings on the cans, bottles, etc. (once we get to that point) then you're right.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » May 26, 2006, 6:57 pm

Suspened for chewing gum? wtf...

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » May 26, 2006, 10:35 pm

miir wrote:
They've said for years that coffee and tea had harmful amounts of caffiene
Only when drank to excess...

I have 1, sometimes 2 cups of tea/coffee a day which contains a perfectly safe/healthy amount of caffiene. It's when you get into 5+ cups a day do you come close to ingesting an unhealthy amount of caffeine.

You also need to have a chronic caffine habit before it starts to generate health issues. Generally speaking, it runs it's course rather quickly through your body. Excess anything is bad. Moderation is good for you.

Drinsic Darkwood · Post by **Drinsic Darkwood** » May 27, 2006, 12:58 am

Nick wrote:Suspened for chewing gum? wtf...

Suspended for CHEWING DRUGS!

Yeah, fairly fucking stupid.

Homercles · Post by **Homercles** » May 30, 2006, 4:14 pm

Hell, I wasn't allowed to chew gum at school at all. Caffinated or just plain old grape Bubble Yum. You get caught with chewing gum, you're getting punished.

cadalano · Post by **cadalano** » May 30, 2006, 4:46 pm

i got in trouble for selling this shit called Lucas when i was in the 6th grade. I hated teh stuff but it was a big fad for a few months.. just like MSG crystals or some shit that you sprinkled out of a can... I bought a ton at the dollar store and sold them on the playground for like 10 cents of profit each. SWEET

and one morning the principal did a PA announcement that products were being distributed during recess and anyone caught doing so would be punished :{

so they ruined my business career

actually that same year i got in trouble for calling a girl "chesty". i mean, come on.. a 6th grader with a rack??

Sumdaor · Post by **Sumdaor** » May 30, 2006, 4:51 pm

Hell, I wasn't allowed to chew gum at school at all. Caffinated or just plain old grape Bubble Yum. You get caught with chewing gum, you're getting punished.

Yeah but you didn't get suspended. You got a slap on wrist or detention at most. You make a kid spit it out and throw away the pack of gum, end of story.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » May 30, 2006, 9:39 pm

when I was in grade six we had this nightmarish asshole of a teacher who made this girl put her gum in her hair when he caught her chewing it. they had to cut it out.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » May 31, 2006, 12:24 am

kyoukan wrote:when I was in grade six we had this nightmarish asshole of a teacher who made this girl put her gum in her hair when he caught her chewing it. they had to cut it out.

I bet she learned her lesson.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » May 31, 2006, 12:51 am

see, when you actually do try to troll it is so fucking transparent, because you are too stupid to do it effectively.

Tyek · Post by **Tyek** » May 31, 2006, 2:01 am

When I hear stories like Kyou's about the gum, I am not surprised since apparently if the principal is weak, you can get away with anything. Then you get the other extreme like this Jolt case. Unfortunately we had an incident this week that I felt should have been delt with severely and it was handled like it was nothing serious.

On Friday a boy who has been harrassing my son and many other students all year decided it would be fun to make up a song...

I hate you
I wish you were dead
I want to murder you
I want to kill you
when I do I will laugh.

he followed this later with the wonderful comment about a shirt my son was wearing that said Blame My Sister....

Oh I will blame your sister, then I will rape her.

he finished the day off telling my son that he was going to "Fuck my wife and then my daughter, and he was going to make me have sex with my son while he watched."

This is a 10 year old.

I told my son's principal that while I understand some comments along the lines of "your ugly" or "your stupid" are normal things for a 10 year old to say, I found his comments horrific and felt his parents should know. The principal talked with the student, but did not suspend him, nor did he call his parents.

I found out today that by law the school HAS to report the incident to the school district, and the student has to be suspended for the sexual comment alone, but the principal says he has "scared" the kid enough and there is no reason to talk with his parents. If I found out my son had done something like that and I was not informed I would be more pissed with the principal then my son. The teacher in Kyou's class obviously did not fear any repercussions. So apparently you can't pass out caffinated gum. At my son's school you cannot wear a hat because it might condone gang participation, but you can threaten rape and murder with no problem.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » May 31, 2006, 3:04 am

who else witnessed the kid saying that.

Tyek · Post by **Tyek** » May 31, 2006, 4:14 am

So far they have 4 kids, the kid also suckerpunched another student 2 weeks ago I found out and again no parents were called. (this was privately told to me by the teacher, who I do not want to get in trouble)

Keverian FireCry · Post by **Keverian FireCry** » May 31, 2006, 4:58 am

wow...

by any chance is this the kid you are talking about?!

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » May 31, 2006, 6:03 am

school policies usually have to involve an adult witnessing the event or obvious evidence of a physical act. this is because parents can sue the shcool if their child for wrongful punishment and trauma and kids make shitty and usually inadmissable witnesses.

teach your kid how to punch.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » May 31, 2006, 10:29 am

kyoukan wrote:see, when you actually do try to troll it is so fucking transparent, because you are too stupid to do it effectively.

Nope. Wrong. I meant what I said.

Tyek · Post by **Tyek** » May 31, 2006, 11:26 am

teach your kid how to punch.

I am

Siji · Post by **Siji** » June 3, 2006, 11:32 pm

HA!

Gum Company Awards Scholarship to Suspended Student

PITTSBURGH (1010 WINS) -- A New Jersey gum maker has come up with a snappy response to the sticky issue of a sixth grader suspended for having its caffeinated product in school.

GumRunners LLC of Hackensack, N.J., which makes Jolt gum, created a scholarship program and awarded the first one to Courtney Rupert, a 12-year-old who was suspended for three days last month.

Products acting as a stimulant are prohibited in the Burrell School District, about 15 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and possessing them is grounds for disciplinary action.

"Basically we're going to try to reverse the karma of the universe. She got a bad deal. We decided to give her a good deal,'' company co-founder Kevin Gass said Friday at a news conference to announce the ``Chew More Do More'' scholarships.

Of the 10 $1,000 scholarships to be awarded annually, Gass said one will be named for Courtney and will go to "someone unfairly victimized.''

The others are for high-achievers and a board of advisers will determine the winners, he said.

Courtney, who was at the announcement with her mother, Carrie Ramsey, said she cried when she was suspended. She said she's a good student who has never been in trouble before. She said she bought the Jolt gum because it was on sale and shared it with another student on May 22.

Her mother said she was unsure how school officials came to learn of it. ``They sell pop, so I wouldn't have thought chewing gum would be any different,'' Ramsey said.

Though college is a long time away, Courtney says she wants to become a teacher. The district superintendent did not immediately return a message seeking comment Friday.

Drinsic Darkwood · Post by **Drinsic Darkwood** » June 4, 2006, 3:27 am

That's awesome.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » June 4, 2006, 3:36 am

crass marketing capitalizing on media exposure at it's lowest.

Drinsic Darkwood · Post by **Drinsic Darkwood** » June 4, 2006, 12:20 pm

Obviously, but is it lower than what the school did to this kid? In my opinion, it's not. In all my years of school, people with gum were never told anything but to "throw it away" upon discovery.