# There and RO'd Again: Kermit, TX and the One Ring of Power **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 3, 2015, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664 "2015-02-03T02:22:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/1 "2015-02-03T02:22:50Z")
If you like clicking on links, [have a look-see](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/texas-boy-suspended-bringing-ring-power-school-article-1.2099103), if you don’t, the quotes below are from the linked article. > [@](#): > > Kermit Elementary School officials called it a threat when the 9-year-old boy, Aiden Steward, in a playful act of make-believe, told a classmate he could make him disappear with a ring forged in fictional Middle Earth’s Mount Doom. OK, wow. This is right up there with banning Harry Potter because of witchcraft. I may not have done exactly this, but I did a wide variety of just-as-silly things when I was in 4th grade and never wound up hurting anyone. I wasn’t suspended either. > [@](#): > > The family moved to the Kermit Independent School District only six months ago, but it’s been nothing but headaches for Aiden. He’s already been suspended three times this school year. Ah! So a troublemaker, right? This was just the latest in a long string of disruptive activities from a problem kid and the teachers and principal were just exasperated, right? Tell me that’s it, right? > [@](#): > > Two of the disciplinary actions this year were in-school suspensions for referring to a classmate as black and bringing his favorite book to school: “The Big Book of Knowledge.” > > “He loves that book. They were studying the solar system and he took it to school. He thought his teacher would be impressed,” Steward said. > > But the teacher learned the popular children’s encyclopedia had a section on pregnancy, depicting a pregnant woman in an illustration, he explained. Hm. I am underwhelmed by this child’s trouble-making ability. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the school is in the right here. So fuck them, as tradition demands at least one swear in the Pit. On the other hand, the school seems to be prevented by policy from telling its side of the story - so this could be a completely made-up thing and it’s possible the NY Daily News didn’t talk to any of the classmates to verify the story. Still, WTF? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/2 "2015-02-03T02:28:17Z")
Kid just needs to start threatening kids in Elvish. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/3 "2015-02-03T02:33:48Z")
I heard this on the radio and was astonished. The kid was suspended from school for bringing a children’s encyclopedia that had a picture of a pregnant woman? Unless there’s a lot more to this, the school administrators are batshit insane. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/4 "2015-02-03T02:37:13Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Kid just needs to start threatening kids in Elvish. Eca, a mitta lambetya cendelessë orcova! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/5 "2015-02-03T02:41:20Z")
Condoleezza and Mitt feast on lambeth and killer whale? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/6 "2015-02-03T02:43:10Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Eca, a mitta lambetya cendelessë orcova! I assure you, good sir, that goat was of age in the jurisdiction in which I was found with her, and none of those implements were banned until the following spring! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/7 "2015-02-03T02:46:32Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Kid just needs to start threatening kids in Elvish. “You nasty thing from beyond the dead: no matter what you think or do, good things will never come to you. And if evil is your black design, you can bet the goodness of the light ones will kick your bad behind.” TCB, baby. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/8 "2015-02-03T03:07:51Z")
The fact that this occurred in Texas explains it all. Welcome to South Stupid. Rick Perry will be your guide. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/9 "2015-02-03T04:53:56Z")
**Bricker** did it better. I’d link, but I’ve been drinking. Never drink and link. Fuck The Man! I do what I want! [The One Ring located in Kermit, Texas - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748134) ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/10 "2015-02-03T05:56:22Z")
He did it to the exact same story and with a better title too. Damn Fool of a Took! He’ll attract the Ringwraiths in no time. Well, that takes the wind out of the thread’s sails - we’ll never get to Aman now. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/11 "2015-02-03T09:25:46Z")
It’s for the best, really. Oh, sure, at first carrying the One Ring is all fun and merry japes, but soon enough it’s talking to oneself in the third person and chomping people’s fingers off… Kids, just say NO to Rings of Power. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/12 "2015-02-03T16:50:57Z")
This is stupid, everyone knows the One Ring’s invisibility powers are defensive and not offensive. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/13 "2015-02-03T17:05:26Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I heard this on the radio and was astonished. The kid was suspended from school for bringing a children’s encyclopedia that had a picture of a pregnant woman? Like, you never see a real one in public?! ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/14 "2015-02-03T17:31:32Z")
Wow, that’s so Texas of them. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/15 "2015-02-03T17:57:13Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I assure you, good sir, that goat was of age in the jurisdiction in which I was found with her, and none of those implements were banned until the following spring! Orc, not goat. And the implement was your tongue. Which you may have gotten banned in some jurisdiction, I suppose. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/16 "2015-02-03T20:49:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Like, you never see a real one in public?! A chidren’s encyclopedia? Nope, I thought they were myth. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/17 "2015-02-03T21:02:51Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I heard this on the radio and was astonished. The kid was suspended from school for bringing a children’s encyclopedia that had a picture of a pregnant woman? > > Unless there’s a lot more to this, the school administrators are batshit insane. And “referring to a classmate as black”? Can they be any more vague? ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/18 "2015-02-03T22:37:22Z")
> [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](#): > > And “referring to a classmate as black”? Can they be any more vague? It was, apparently, actually a black classmate. I assumed it was something like, “…and then there’s Bob.” “Who’s Bob?” “The black kid!” ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/19 "2015-02-04T13:13:06Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > It was, apparently, actually a black classmate. > > I assumed it was something like, “…and then there’s Bob.” “Who’s Bob?” “The black kid!” Hey, using the Black Speech in public is just as bad!Did he learn it from the Ring? ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-and-rod-again-kermit-tx-and-the-one-ring-of-power/711664/20 "2015-02-04T15:18:50Z")
[Penny Arcade](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2015/02/04/precautions) weighs in on the issue.