IF they don't let him go: Age discrimination
If they do and something happens: CHILD ENDANGERMENT

I'd have a tough time deciding.

He should have just gone to another school. Not every college or university is this stupid. Not surprising with this one since it offers "evolutionary biology" as a major. What a waste of time.

It's a good thing the University is thinking about the fact that Africa may be unsafe for a 13yo kid with his mother along to supervise.

They of course know best in that
a) No 13yo kids has ever travelled in the history of mankind.
b) No 13yo kid has ever lived in Africa and survived.

Universities are smart.

Hey Mr. smarty pants that's not how we do it in Amurika. Take that fancy stuff to Europe with them muslins.
/How did I do

SphericalTime: Banning him outright is, as he claims, age discrimination. He appears to meet the other criteria necessary for making the trip.

If you leave out that pesky age requirement, he also meets the criteria to drink.

When you are young... YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO GET SOME THINGS YOU WANT! Suck it up... asshole, and count your lucky stars that you are in college and 13.

Get hit by a truck, you arrogant farkwad.

I attended a college that did a geology field studies course every summer, anywhere from 9-14 days, and they would not take anyone who was under 18, period. Given that it was a community college and Washington has a program where the state will pay for the college tuition of qualifying high school seniors, there were plenty of kids who wanted to go but couldn't, but they just waited until they turned 18.

Not saying that'd work particularly well since this kid is 13, but there are a lot of risks with taking a minor into a potentially dangerous situation.

Is it really discrimination based on age, when you are not legally recognized as an adult? I honestly do not know.

This is strange... I find myself agreeing with the school.

I imagine every person that takes that trip has to sign a release that leaves the university free of any guilt or blame associated with the trip and what may happen on it. So what's the big deal? His Mom even says she will go at her own expense and supervise him. Sounds to me like the professor is just a dick.

zorlack7: When you are young... YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO GET SOME THINGS YOU WANT! Suck it up... asshole, and count your lucky stars that you are in college and 13.

Get hit by a truck, you arrogant farkwad.

Wow...you've got a lot of rage, there. Were you beat up by a gang of raging child prodigies When you were young?

And arrogant? How exactly?

Everybody calm down. We are talking about a ginger.

Pujols: zorlack7: When you are young... YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO GET SOME THINGS YOU WANT! Suck it up... asshole, and count your lucky stars that you are in college and 13.

Get hit by a truck, you arrogant farkwad.

Wow...you've got a lot of rage, there. Were you beat up by a gang of raging child prodigies When you were young?

And arrogant? How exactly?

Was it the Van Buren Boys?

/to lazy to find a pic

Obviously too immature to be in college.

The problem is that our legal system isn't set up to properly handle minors who have developed (emotionally or intellectually) at a faster pace than is the norm. If the kid were injured on the trip, it's entirely possible for some busy-body DA to level criminal charges on the school.

On the other hand, it's been my experience that very few universities are run by people who are capable of or willing to handle unusual situations. I'm of the opinion that some kind of compromise could have been worked out here, and it's not necessarily a bad thing for the kid not to get exactly what he wants here.

Would the university allow a 17 year old student (still a minor) to take this course and go abroad? If the parent went with the 13 year old student, I wouldn't see any issues. The 'risk' that the university is worried about is the corruption of a brilliant adolescent after the work is done for the day. whatever.

A lot of this story is the parent stating, "So-and-so, said this, so-and-so said that," without much corroboration from the university. It would be nice if the reporter could verify these facts. Otherwise this story gets filed under the category of "Whiny Helicopter Parent with Snowflake Child."

Age discrimination only counts for those who are legally adults.

Children have no rights.

/Tightens the reel's drag slightly

MilitaryTigger: Age discrimination only counts for those who are legally adults.

Children have no rights.

/Tightens the reel's drag slightly

That depends on what country your in. Currently the US has not ratified the CDC. I honestly pray that it doesn't.

Cuzweedoles: I imagine every person that takes that trip has to sign a release that leaves the university free of any guilt or blame associated with the trip and what may happen on it. So what's the big deal? His Mom even says she will go at her own expense and supervise him. Sounds to me like the professor is just a dick.

Release forms usually aren't worth the paper their printed on (especially when someones precious snowflake is involved). I'm guessing the school/prof and their respective attys looked at the liability for taking the kid (even with mom) and said "not even with someone elses 10' pole".

TCManger: Is it legal to discriminate against people just because they are such a wet blanket and/or really farking annoying?

"Annoying" and "wet blanket" aren't protected classes, so I would wager you could. IANAL, however.

mettle-metal: they would not take anyone who was under 18, period.

I don't understand why the school didn't just say, "Nobody under 18 goes." Of course, that could be the rule but since they're being sued they may just not want to talk to the media at all. Lawyers typically suggest that.

When I took my EMT class I remember that they allowed you to take the class if you were 17, but you had to be 18 to be licensed at the end of it. (I only remember that detail because I made it by two months or so.) I don't see how this is that much different.

If the class can be completed without the trip, let him take the class, but nobody under 18 goes overseas. If he can't pass the class without going on the trip, he can wait till he's 18 to take that class.

If he can't pass the class without going on the trip, he can wait till he's 18 to take that class.

But what if he intends on graduating before he turns 18?

What a 4chan spammer like look like

Yeah, I cant type after semi-finals.

airplayne: If he can't pass the class without going on the trip, he can wait till he's 18 to take that class.

But what if he intends on graduating before he turns 18?

He can take the class once he's 18 then, after he graduates. If he needs this to graduate he'll learn a little lesson in planning ahead for things in life. If he enrolled and never thought to ask if his age could keep him from taking classes required to graduate with that major, it's his problem.

frankly... I have to ask. What about infectious disease? If he gets malaria (actually it should be, WHEN he gets malaria) will the school face penalties for that? The professor doesn't think he's ready to go there yet. The African bush is pretty hardcore. I'll go with the teacher on this one.

I also have to ask: will this kid regret that he wasn't allowed to just be a child? My sister is high order gifted like this boy and my parents refused to push her. They only expected her to do as well as the other kids in her grade. She's still really academically amazing and also got to have her childhood. She got a full tuition merit scholarship to a top college so apparently her brains didn't disappear because she wasn't pushed. She speaks 2 foreign languages, one fluently- and is the best English writer I have ever personally known. There's always something new a kid can learn right in grade school or on their own, so rushing them through is a little bit mean. You never get to go back to being a child- try as you might.

TCManger: Is it legal to discriminate against people just because they are such a wet blanket and/or really farking annoying?

It may not be legal, but this appears to be how society functions.

3.9 GPA? Not very gifted, eh?

I'd have to side with the kid here. Mostly because before he even enrolled he expressed a desire to be in this class to administrators. If his decision to attend UConn was hinged on this class/trip administrators should've checked with the professor before saying "Yeah, sure kid!"

Most parents of smart kids are irritating and expect everyone to bend to their fark trophy's every whim. But this mom seems more than willing to do what she has to do to not only make sure her kid has every opportunity but to make it as inconvenient as possible for the rest of the people involved. Plus I think the professor is being a jag bag considering another professor is allowing him in a class that takes a trip to a different area of Africa.

If she's willing to sign away her and his life so he can go to some third world country, I'd say let her.

Why can't I run for president, or buy liquor/tobacco then?

I have serious problems with colleges letting so called "gifted" children in. I just don't think a kid his age is socially and intellectually mature to be with kids who are so much older than he is. There is something to be said for growing along side your peers. I also have two bachelors degrees and don't think it really helped me (ba pscyh bs cs) They have been really more of a hindrance as employers are not sure about hiring someone who has that much education. Anyways I side with the school. I think the liability of injury, illness, death, of a minor child is far greater than the accusation of age discrimination and the school should stick to their guns.

TCManger: This kid needs to grow up. Boo Hoo. Part of growing up and becoming an adult is realizing that everything doesn't go your way and you have to deal with it. This class is probably meant for seniors and they want to go on this trip to further their knowledge, have an experience of a lifetime, and party and fark like it is 1999. They don't want to plan their adult activities around junior's nap time. I don't blame them. I went to Italy for a semester in college and I would have been pissed if I had to hang out with a 13-year-old super nerd who was expecting to learn something all the time. I bet the professor just wanted to get away from this kid who likely would be asking if everything was going to be on the test every 5 minutes.

Is it legal to discriminate against people just because they are such a wet blanket and/or really farking annoying?

1) We have no evidence that the kid any of the things you say he is.

2) There certainly would be social situations he would be left out of--but any 13 year old in college is already used to that. It's the kid's problem, not a problem for the rest of the class.

The only issue I see is 13 is a little young to be traveling like that on his own--but if his mother is going to accompany him that solves that problem.

I was in Johannesburg for some weeks when I was 16. While I was with my parents I went out in the city alone many times. Admittedly the place is more dangerous now than it was then.

davidphogan: mettle-metal: they would not take anyone who was under 18, period.

I don't understand why the school didn't just say, "Nobody under 18 goes." Of course, that could be the rule but since they're being sued they may just not want to talk to the media at all. Lawyers typically suggest that.

When I took my EMT class I remember that they allowed you to take the class if you were 17, but you had to be 18 to be licensed at the end of it. (I only remember that detail because I made it by two months or so.) I don't see how this is that much different.

If the class can be completed without the trip, let him take the class, but nobody under 18 goes overseas. If he can't pass the class without going on the trip, he can wait till he's 18 to take that class.

That wasn't a restriction imposed by the school but by the license, a totally different issue.

Back in college I took a couple of classes with 18+ requirements but they were due to sexual content, again a reflection of the law.

Bulf: frankly... I have to ask. What about infectious disease? If he gets malaria (actually it should be, WHEN he gets malaria) will the school face penalties for that? The professor doesn't think he's ready to go there yet. The African bush is pretty hardcore. I'll go with the teacher on this one.

What do you mean, when? Faithfully take the right medicine and you're not likely to get it.

I was in Africa (many countries) for several months at age 16/17, while some things were shocking there wasn't anything we encountered that would be a reason not to go. The real shock for me wasn't anything in Africa, but Calcutta at age 9.

I also have to ask: will this kid regret that he wasn't allowed to just be a child? My sister is high order gifted like this boy and my parents refused to push her.

This is a real issue.



I can understand the school refusing for liability reasons. However, there is *NO* justification for this silent refusal. That smells like someone doesn't want to have to stand behind their decision.

He's a 13 year old Ginger in college? I bet November 20, 2009 was the longest day of his life.

JDJoeE: Cuzweedoles: I imagine every person that takes that trip has to sign a release that leaves the university free of any guilt or blame associated with the trip and what may happen on it. So what's the big deal? His Mom even says she will go at her own expense and supervise him. Sounds to me like the professor is just a dick.

Release forms usually aren't worth the paper their printed on (especially when someones precious snowflake is involved). I'm guessing the school/prof and their respective attys looked at the liability for taking the kid (even with mom) and said "not even with someone elses 10' pole".

Just... wow... you guys have no clue what a "release form" is.

where's that free range parenting woman? Here this mom is trying her best to not be a helicopter parent AND be responsible, so the university steps in and does it for her. Nice.