July 8, 2001

I was completely flabbergasted by the article (N&O) about 4-year-old Jonie Stumbo, who lives with her family in King's Mountain, NC. It seems a couple of years ago when she was 2, she took off her pajamas to get dressed and was distracted by a family pet.

Like so many toddlers before her, not yet jaded by Americans' antiquated views of nudity, she ran out of the house in pursuit of her kitten. Unfortunately for her, at the exact moment that she bent down to retrieve the animal, a school bus pulled up. Evidently the bus driver was not amused.

"We're assuming she bent over to get the kitten and mooned a school bus full of kids," her mother, Mary Ann Stumbo, was quoted as saying. Bad timing.

Even at that, is this really something that warrants an investigation? Jonie was outside for less than 5 minutes on a rural, dead-end mountain road: not dirty, not bruised, not downtown Manhattan. As soon as her brother spotted her, he took her inside.

The Stumbos, who have 4 children, refused to let them be interviewed when the Department of Social Services showed up on the scene to investigate the toddler's rebellious streak. The Stumbos felt their right to privacy was being violated. The DSS pressed on, and is currently dragging the entire incident through the courts. Now the Stumbos lives are being scrutinized. Their practice of home schooling has been called into question.

Geez. It's hard to believe that something so natural, so innocent, could end up as a court battle. I can remember a story being told of a similar occurrence in my youth at around the same age. It's said I broke from my Mother's grasp, fresh from an after bath toweling, ran out the door and down the sidewalk, flapping my arms and screaming with delight.

Those were the days.


Home| Overview| About Us| Ads| Art| Businesses| Carrboro and Area Stuff| Carrboro Map|
Computer Stuff| Downtown Carrboro Map| Events| Prices| Restaurants| UniqueOrn Enterprises