Statistics Never Lie

Sometimes, it's important just to admit you were wrong and move on with life. E's class is taking a field trip today to Pensacola. That's far. And long. And there was NOOOO way I was going to either A) ride a school bus with 60 screaming kids for that long or B) drive behind said school bus for that long just to herd a bunch of wild midgets around a bunch of overfed semi-wild animals. And the kids are going all that way in a school bus without seat belts. Which, of course, being a negligent parent, never occurred to me until MK called. And reminded me that it was a long way from here. And it was far. And there were no seat belts. And who would be there if something happened?
After our phone call, I was feeling alarmed, and agreed to keep E home from school today and take him to see Disney Earth instead. After all, we were just at the zoo two weeks ago in New Orleans, he's been to the Pensacola Zoo before, and he really likes playing hooky. Then M and my dad started in with their "facts."
As it turns out, in the decade from 1991 to 2001 there were just over 400,000 traffic accidents involving school transportation. Of those, there were 26 fatalities. Of those, 19 were kids as pedestrians leaving the bus and getting hit by another vehicle. So, really saying that the 3 hour ride without seat belts is unsafe violates all statistical likelihood. In fact, saying that it is statistically unlikely for something to happen on that trip is a significant understatement. Shoulda listened to those rational men.
And now, MK calls me to say that her son, E's cohort in overprotectionhood, has pink eye and will be home alone today. And E is behaving like a butt-faced penguin this morning. I would love for him to be gone until 4 o'clock today.
Should have bet on the odds. Dammit.