Those found guilty of disorderly conduct committed during the 2014 Keene Pumpkin Festival have been given the option to lower their $1,000 fine if they talk to elementary classrooms. 

Judge Edward J. Burke told the guilty they can pay $200 less for each elementary classroom they visit as long as they give a "sincere presentation" about how their actions led to the cancellation of the festival.

I love it when Judges make rulings like this. It's creative and I can see the good it could do. It's a form of shaming that certainly would embarrass me enough to never do something like that again.

On the other hand, I'm not sure how this will be enforced. A "sincere presentation" seems subjective. What do they want the kid to do, go up in front of the classroom and start sobbing?

Will the schools even allow a grown man to stand in front of a class of 1st graders and talk about climbing a telephone poll to throw beers at cops? That seems a little over their head.

I'm not from Keene, and frankly I've never been to the Pumpkin Festival, but I feel like a more fitting punishment would be to have the guilty go to local businesses and apologize.

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