Closer to home, the principal in Fall River, Mass., has decided that if you’re chronically late to high school, you will get a 6:15 a.m. wake-up call, with an automated voice reprimanding you to get up already!

If you’ve been tardy five or more times in a 45 day period, you’ll be getting the calls.

The new plan is an alternative to the traditional detention for tardiness, and the principal hopes to bring attendance up to 95 percent from 88 percent with the new plan.

Maybe it’s just me, but this could just be further proof that the school day ought to start an hour or so later?

Taken from this week’s column, printed in the Southbridge Evening News and other Stonebridge Press and Villager newspapers.

P.S. Despite the fact that I am posting this on April Fool’s Day, this is not a joke!