Knock Knock Jokes = Criminality

So our oldest son, the 10 year old, recently brought home his mid-term grades. He typically is on the Honor Roll. As I read his mid-term grades, they each looked stellar as I went down the list, 95% or more in Math and Science, an 81 in Writing, a 96 in Social Studies. Whoa!! Hold the phone--is that an 81? The last time I saw an 81 on a report card I was trying to explain to my Mother why I was not cut out for metals shop (two words--"grinder accident"). I started leafing through said 10 year old's writing assignments. There it was, right in the middle of an essay on the planet Venus. We pick up the action 2/3 of the way through:

"...a planet known for its interesting atmosphere. Knock, knock, who's there? I don't know. Venus' surface has been mapped in detail..."

Did you catch that? A knock, knock joke in the middle of an essay? Are you kidding me? Personally I don't know where my sons get their penchant for class-clowning but I am investigating Angie's family tree in search of the bad genetic influence.

Like the Father of the Year I am, I confront the 10 year old. Note the empathetic dialogue and tactics I employed:

"What were you thinking?"
"Of course she hated your writing"
"At least you could have told a good joke, like 'a lawyer, a doctor and the Pope walk into a bar'..."

Ok, I didn't add that last part. But his response to my careful and sensitive questioning? He turned away from me, used his most pathetic martyrdom voice and sobbed "Quit treating me like a criminal!!"

Score another point for the children of America. No longer will they sit idly by and let haters of knock, knock jokes drag them down! The revolution will begin at dawn.