Be careful what comes off your keyboard

Public opinion and half truth stories can run like wild fire, regardless of truth. 

It reminds me of the time my son came home talking about how hairspray is ruining the ozone layer and China was the worst offender.  We had to dissect that sentence.  SOME hairspray AND other volatile chemicals are ruining the ozone layer, that is true.  China uses MANY volatile chemicals in their industrial endeavors , however, I would bet $10 that the city of Atlanta uses FAR more hairspray than the entire country of China.

I told him to go back and check his facts on WHAT in China was affecting the ozone layer. While it is true that SOME hairspray affects the ozone layer, and it is true that China is among the leaders in air pollution that affects the ozone layer, it is not necessarily true that hairspray use is the only cause of China's air pollution.

I'm not sure the schools are teaching critical thinking anymore...I wonder how many other half truths my son takes as fact.

I'm always hearing "he said...", "she said...", "they said...".  My first question is usually "Who said that?"  The factoid that my son just announced is very seldom attributed to some first hand quote and usually ends up being an amalgamation of offhand comments.  You should hear his theories on oil prices - either today's low prices or the high prices a few years back.  I shudder to think he might make a good politician, but he can certainly weave a good story out of random remarks.

I can deal with most of his pronouncements, but seldom let him slide when he starts discussing classmates.  I am all for collecting as much accurate information on who the good and bad kids are, but every now and then he will innocently pass along gossip.  We try real hard to make sure he does not take this at face value.  Way too easy to destroy a kid's character these days some other kid really wants to do so - especially when they have some position of power or influence.  Have not see it in action, but have read about social media campaigns which present fabricated stories that get traction and soon accepted as fact. 

Was watching a high school game the other day and listening to some other parents who had older kids at the beach on spring break.  Apart from their physical safety, some were hoping their kids came back unscathed from any social media miscues.

"entitled athletes".  I'm surprised you used this phrase.  Maybe you didn't mean this.

College athletes are generally anything but 'entitled'.  40+ hour workweeks, with no pay.

When you put "Duke" and "lacrosse" together you get entitled. There are certain colleges combined with certain sports where their athletes don't have to play by the same rules as others.

Ask Lawrence Phillips about "Nebraska" and "football." Or should I say had you asked before he killed himself after being incarcerated. He was so pampered and protected he couldn't deal with real life.

ESPN recently aired a 30-for-30 on the Duke lacrosse thing.  If you haven't seen it, you should and it would even be an example of information I'd give my son before heading off to college to play baseball.