[Marathon Man]

Originally Posted by Laker14

In grammar school I was famous for never doing my homework. In 5th grade there was a girl in my class, who as legend had it, was the daughter of an FBI agent.
Everyday she'd raise her hand and announce to the teacher that I hadn't done my homework. I never did figure out what weird thrill she got out of doing that. The teacher would respond by making me write my name on the chalkboard.
Years later I think I figured out that the teacher was more annoyed by her, than by me. She already knew I hadn't done my homework, and didn't really want to deal with me yet again on the same subject, revisited day after day, but since my transgression was announced publicly, she had to do something or she'd be seen as allowing it. So, she made me write my name on the board. I do remember eventually she told the girl to stop tattling and just mind her own business.

These discussion of the "clipboard ladies" reminds me of being in 5th grade. I'm not sure what comes across as more childish, the outrage over the actions of the tattle tales, or the moral superiority of "if you obey the rules you have nothing to worry about."
Either way, thanks for the ticket on my trip down memory lane.

It's an observation and sound advice. Calling it "moral superiority" is just silly.