Some comics-style discipline: The Miami Herald reports on a third-grade teacher who has turned to comic book characters to keep his students in line:

"Now, students have their names written on a small cut-out of Spiderman or Spidergirl.

"One strike, and the names are lowered to an illustration of Scorpion, receiving a warning from the arch-villain.

"The second time students misbehave, they answer to Dr. Octopus, who makes them copy a page out of a dictionary.

"The ultimate penalty is to face the Green Goblin -- which students have to call their parents and tell them they have to serve a detention."