Current Debates

I think this is potentially very discriminatory. Let's say I'm applying for a new job, but I'm also trying to conceive. I'm certainly not going to share that personal piece of information with a prospective employer - after all, it could be years before I get pregnant and it's none of their business.

But they might see my Facebook page talking about my hopes, and decide (illegally) that I'm not worth hiring because I'm TTC and may require maternity leave during my employment with them.

<There was an instance in my city where an 18-year-old out of towner stabbed and killed a guy. All his friends were making comments in the newspaper about what a great guy he was and he wouldn't hurt a fly, he never did anything wrong, etc. His Myspace was easily accessed by anyone and anyone could look at all the pictures of him partying, his mom in pictures with him holding a beer, things like that. It was easy to see who all his friends were and the type of people they were, too. I'm sure none of that is going to look good when he goes on trial.>

I think I've missed something here. The fact that this boy likes to party and have a beer means that he's more likely to stab someone than a teetotaller??

WTH?

<All the online articles say that employers are looking for things like signs of drinking, unethical work behavior, or in the case of college grads, evidence that they drank when underage. >

I'm really at a loss to understand why these employers are so obsessed with alcohol consumption. I doubt that a single one of my friends waited until they were 18 before trying alcohol (the legal age here). None of them are alcoholics, they were just curious teenagers.  And if you're part of a culture which has a saner approach to alcohol, you were probably allowed a little watered wine as a child with your dinner (eg European cultures).

And I'm still in shock about the other poster's apparent assumption that enjoying a drink makes you more likely to stab somebody.

While I think that being suspended for holding a cup is outrageous, I also don't think schools are looking for reasons to suspend students. In fact, often times they go out of their way to NOT suspend students.  If they have too many suspensions, then it looks bad on their annual statistics.

However, a lot of schools seem to suspend athletes/leadership activities for students caught drinking, particularly if they are wearing school uniforms or other attire that ties them to the school, but they don't get suspended from school.