Miami Dad Makes His 7th Grade Son Stand on Street Corner With a Sign For Bad Grades

Last month, Riptide chronicled the world of Miami's professional sign wavers. It's a job Michael Bell Jr. is getting a taste of and may have to look forward to as an adult if he doesn't get his grades up.Bell Jr.'s father, Michael Bell Sr., obviously, is making his son stand...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

March 12, 2012

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Last month, Riptide chronicled the world of Miami's professional sign wavers. It's a job Michael Bell Jr. is getting a taste of and may have to look forward to as an adult if he doesn't get his grades up.

Bell Jr.'s father, Michael Bell Sr., obviously, is making his son stand on a street corner during Spring Break with a sign letting the world know that the kid is currently failing three of his courses.

It's not the first time a Florida parent has devised such a punishment. Last year a Tampa mother made her high school-aged son wear a similar sign in public because of his 1.22 GPA.

Though, it appears to be the first time the punishment has sprung up locally. According to Local 10, Bell Jr. is now spending his spring break wearing the sign at North Kendall Drive and SW 107th Avenue. Bell Jr. is currently failing math, language arts and civics.

"He has been screwing up in school, behavior and academics, and right now I am trying to send a message to him," Bell Sr. tells Local 10. "Right now, this is the only thing I have left to try and reach him."

One side the sign reads, "Hey, I want to be a class clown, is it wrong?" The other side asks drivers to honk if they think three Fs are bad.

Both of Bell Jr.'s parents are supervising him and making sure he's safe during the nontraditional punishment.

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