Son Gets Suspended After Inappropriate Political Joke
DEAR HARRIETTE: My son is only two weeks into the school year, and he already got suspended for a week for making a politically inappropriate joke in class. His dad made the joke the night before, and our whole family laughed, so my son thought it would go over well in class. We told him there is a time and a place for these types of jokes and that not everyone has our family's same political views, so some people may take offense to what he said. He feels embarrassed about the suspension and keeps saying he didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings.
I know my son needs to understand that jokes can have consequences, especially in a classroom setting. At the same time, I don't want him to feel like he has to be afraid to express his opinions or to make jokes around other people. His father feels that the school is overreacting and that our son should not be punished so severely for something he heard at home. I think we both need to take responsibility for the fact that he probably got the idea that the joke was appropriate because we laughed about it together. We have talked to him about thinking before he speaks and considering how his words might affect other people. What is the best way for us to handle this situation and help him learn from it without making him feel ashamed? -- Inappropriate
DEAR INAPPROPRIATE: It's natural for children to believe what they see and hear at home would be appropriate anywhere. As his parents, you must teach him what is private and what can be public. This is tricky if you are making inappropriate comments at home. Go down a list of topics that are for private discussion only -- such as race, religion and many things political these days. But know that what you really need to do is discuss these hot-button issues with your son so he understands the nuances, the different points of view and how to talk about sensitive topics appropriately. It's your job to teach him.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I ran into a guy I used to date, and all the old feelings came back. I find him to be irresistibly sexy. There's just something about him. When I see him, I want to touch him. Never mind that we broke up because this magnetism was basically all there was between us. Otherwise, he really didn't have much going on in his life. I doubt that has changed much. He's a nice guy, but not ambitious. That said, I still found myself instantly attracted to him. Is it wrong to want to have some fun with him even though I know it won't amount to anything? -- Hot Guy
DEAR HOT GUY: Are you capable of just having fun and walking away? Is he? Some people know how to turn it on and off like that. You don't sound like you can. If the encounter with him could become instantly complicated, stay away. If you can have a moment of fun and leave it at that, go for it. You have to decide what you can handle.
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(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
Copyright 2026, Harriette Cole
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