Trading Cards Aren’t a Class Act

--The principal of an elementary school has put the lid on the Garbage Pail Kids. “It’s not the cards, but the fact their presence disrupts the educational process,” said Bruce Bundy, principal of the 400-student Claremont School in Ossining, N.Y., who banned Garbage Pail Kids trading cards from the school. The cards, manufactured by Topps Chewing Gum Inc. of Brooklyn, depict such grotesque characters as Acne Amy, a pimple-plagued, brace-faced adolescent; Mad Mike, a savage in a leopard skin wielding a sword and an ax, and Wacky Jackie, who wears a padlocked straitjacket. The cards are sold in packages of five, with a slab of chewing gum, for 25 cents. Reports of stolen cards, students spending lunch money on them and the swapping and selling during classes prompted Bundy’s action. “I’m not against what’s on the cards or anything, but when the children spend their lunch money or when they’re stolen and you have to deal with all the tears, then something should be done,” Bundy said. “When something disrupts the education process, something has to be done.”

--A planned video of wet T-shirt contests has upset Fort Lauderdale, Fla., officials trying to put the damper on the wildness and image problems that hordes of college students bring during spring break each year. “It’s going to be a documentary of the girls during spring break (starting in mid-February and lasting about six weeks). There’s a huge interest in wet T-shirt contests,” said Paul Lorenzo, general manager of the Candy Store, a nightspot where the “documentary” is to be filmed and marketed. “It merely reinforces the somewhat sleazy image that the Fort Lauderdale beach has been acquiring,” said Mayor Robert Dressler. “We don’t need raunchy film productions,” said Tommy Mercer, director of tourism and conventions. Lorenzo said wet T-shirt contests shouldn’t bother anyone. “It’s not as low-down and dirty as everyone thinks,” Lorenzo said. “It’s an all-American, wholesome thing up here. Who do we hurt?”

--The Atlanta City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted--with some argument--to “upgrade womanhood” by requiring nightclub dancers in the city’s 25 strip joints to wear G-strings and pasties. The measure was sponsored by Councilman Dozier Smith, who said: “This would improve the morals of the city a little bit and upgrade womanhood.” The measure drew fire from some members who accused Smith of trying to legislate morality. But Councilman John Lewis defended the move. “It’s true you cannot legislate morality, but you can control behavior,” he said.