Well, I have this to add: I have been a public school teacher for more than 25 years, I can see pretty easily why those words were "banned" from the achievement tests. I'm not going to make a list, but one only needs to think a little while about each one, and I think understanding might dawn.

Does that make it right? Does that make it wrong? Yes, and yes. And no, and no.

But what it does make it is thoughtful. Knowing that when a child is expected to do well on a test, you don't hit them with a bunch of things which might bother them very much. I think there are plenty of available topics leftover.

And I enjoyed this conversation more when it was about morality, prior to its derailing into the PC quagmire.

formerly known as etaoin...