The entire police force was at a kindergarten graduation last Wednesday.

While no crime was being perpetrated, they were all there in a show of support for 5-year-old Tatum Raetz whose dad Daryl Raetz died in the line of duty a few days before.

“The purpose of us is to be here in proxy for Daryl and to let her know that we’re here for her,” Police Officer Keith Garn tells CBS5.

While the thought was for a few cops to attend the graduation, the entire force decided to join in. “The word got out that this was happening and it went viral within the department and there was absolutely no way that you could keep officers who could be here away from here,” recounted Officer James Holmes. “They came, even with their families.”

During the ceremony, Tatum’s dad received a moment of silence in his honor. “Officer Raetz truely embodied the type of great American citizen that our school and our teachers aim to create,” school director Keven Barker said.

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In a surprising report from The Guardian, a third of young girls surveyed listed body issues as one of their top concerns, leading these kids to start an interplay with diets and eating disorders by age 10.

In fact, another survey from the Press Association highlighted that a number of these survey takers were well-aware of weight-loss methods such as using laxatives, bulimia, and anorexia.

“So much is affected by how you feel about your body — your ability to enjoy life, form good relationships and make the most of opportunities,” explained education consultant Chris Calland to the Guardian. “But all the indicators are that the current population of young people have lower body confidence than ever before – and that’s borne out by the rising numbers of youngsters with eating disorders and serious anxieties about their appearance.”

“Traditionally girls have always shown greater concern about their weight and appearance,” she also added. “But the research shows boys are also worrying. They want to be tall and, when they’re a bit older, to be muscular – and they worry about weight too.”

Other than being critical of themselves, kids may also be subjected to bullying, something that aggravates their plummeting self-image. The course Calland teaches focuses on developing a child’s inner confidence and educating them about advertising and media distortion.

“Children may already be being bullied or teased, and by emphasizing children’s inner qualities, they are likely to be helped by realizing that it’s who they are inside that counts,” Calland added as a resolution.

As for the current anti-obesity campaigns, Calland explains that these may do more harm than good.

“Some children have absorbed the anti-obesity message to such an extent that they dread gaining weight,” she stated. “So we’re giving children part of the picture, but we’re not giving them the whole picture: we’re neglecting the wider landscape and that’s really not fair to the children.”

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In a historic move to eliminate an antiquated rule prohibiting gay youths, the Boy Scouts of America have reportedly voted 61-38 to pass the new bill.

The new rule, supported by over 60% of the council leaders, effectively removes sexual orientation as a criteria to join the organization. However, gay adults will still not be allowed to serve as scout leaders.

The organization’s move has been continually met with debate on both sides of the issue. While a lot of people have been pushing for this change, conservative churches, groups, and parents have vowed to drop out of the organization, once the bill becomes effective.

“The fallout from this is going to be tremendous,” explained Robert Schwarzwalder, a leader from the Family Research Council that opposed the change. “I think there will be a loss of hundreds of thousands of boys and parents.”

“The Boy Scouts are something we’ve really enjoyed because they celebrate manliness and leadership,” Allison Mackey, a parent of two scouts stated. “To stand by principles would be difficult, but we’re going to have to say ‘no.’ The organization is giving up freedom.”

However, for some, this was a move that was long overdue.

“I’ve waited 13 years for this,” said Matt Comer who was kicked out of the scouts due to his sexual orientation. “Today we finally have some justice for me and others.”

As for the BSA, they are standing firm behind their decision. “This is not about what’s legal but what’s compassionate, caring and kind,” Wayne Brock, the organization’s chief executive said.

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In a 4th grade science quiz given to students at the Blue Ridge Christian Academy, you were right if you answered that God made dinosaurs on the 6th day of creation.

The quiz, titled “Dinosaurs: Genesis and the Gospel,” was posted on Reddit and quickly went viral.

Getting a huge influx of both criticism and praise, school officials decide to speak back regarding their beliefs.

While religious freedom is a right given to every person, does creationism have a place in schools, and in science class for that matter?

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After Chelsea’s final match of the season, all eyes and ears were on retiring playerbPaulo Ferreira.. that is, until everyone’s attention was diverted to this little boy.

2-year-old Josh, the son of backup goalkeeper Ross Turnbull started dribbling a ball towards the goal, effectively stealing the spotlight and the crowd’s attention from Ferreira. The end result? A small stumble, a goal, and fists raised in triumph.

The crowd’s response? “Sign him up!” they shouted.

Well-done!

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According to multiple sources, Beyonce and Jay-Z are expecting baby # 2!

Rumors started circulating last month after Beyonce donned a bump-hiding dress at the Met Gala. At the same time, last Tuesday, Beyonce cancelled her Mrs. Carter performance in Belgium after a bout of “dehydration and exhaustion”.

If rumors are true, then this is the family’s second bundle of joy, as baby joins big sis Blue Ivy, 1.

Congratulations!

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11-year-old Caine Smith was subject to intense bullying at school because he had two moms and sported long hair. Instead of cowering down, Caine decided to tell his story in “The Bully Project”

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Long lines in Disney World? Not for these 1%!

New York Post reports that the new trend for rich Manhattanites is to hire disabled tour guides so their kids can skip the long lines at the park.
These “black market” guides are for hire for about $130 an hour, locking in the fact that only the wealthy New Yorkers can afford them.

“You can’t go to Disney without a tour concierge,’’ social anthropologist Wednesday Martin scoffed. “This is how the 1 percent does Disney.”

Disney allows disabled guests to enter rides through a different entrance and take along 6 guests in the process. While this privilege was offered to make lines faster for handicapped guests, it’s now being abused as a “fast pass” for anyone who could afford it.

Martin discovered this “underground” service while writing her book “Primates of Park Avenue”. She added that the service provided under “Dream Tours Florida” has a secret phone number that gets passed around by private school Manhattan moms right before vacation season.

“Who wants a speed pass when you can use your black-market handicapped guide to circumvent the lines all together?” Martin said. “So when you’re doing it, you’re affirming that you are one of the privileged insiders who has and shares this information.”

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You’ve seen it all on the runway, but which of the Spring styles are actually wearable and affordable? Here is a list of our top 5 favorite trends of the season.

1. Bermuda shorts – These perfectly cut shorts are comfortable without showing off too much skin
2. Stripes, stripes, stripes – Mix and match bold stripes with different colors, patterns, and textures. Nautical look, anyone?
3. Cutouts – Show hints of skin in the perfect cutout dresses from the spring season
4. Florals – Nothing screams spring more than bold floral prints. Match the blooming season with dresses and tops with bright florals.
5. Statement Flats – Post-winter and pre-summer, lounge around in some cute flats. Pick a pair with some unique detail (splash of color, texture, or material) for added bonus.
For more style and money-saving tips, get a sneak peek into the day-in-the-lives of the trendy T.J.Maxxinistas below.

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After fifth-grader Keila Penner was sent home for wearing the rival team’s jersey to school, the Ottawa Senators owner decided to reward Penner with free tickets to the playoff game.

Keila attends elementary school in Montreal and while that normally means an automatic loyalty to the local Canadiens, Keila’s father just happened to be from Ottawa and yes, he (and his kids) were Senators fans.

When Maple Grove Elementary told students to wear their NHL jerseys in lieu of their uniforms for the Canadiens-Senators game, Keila stood out in a black, red, and white Senators jersey. She was immediately sent to the principal’s office where she was asked to either change her shirt or go home.
Keila chose the latter.

“I didn’t think it was fair,” Keila later told CTV Montreal. “I’m allowed to have my own opinion.”

When the news reached Ottawa owner Eugene Melnyk, he decided to impart some good karma and invited Penner and her family to sit in his suite for Game 4 of the Canadiens-Senators game.

“I was speechless; I didn’t know what to say,” Penner told 1310 News.

To top the night off, Senators won 3-2 in overtime. “What a game and what a win!!!” Melnyk tweeted. “Guts and glory hail our #peskySens. GREAT series! And Keila Penner & family you brought us luck! #SensArmy.”

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