WINE FOR FRENCH TEACHER COSTS 8THGRADER A 10DAY SUSPENSION

ATLANTA A Georgia eighthgrader has been suspended for 10 days for
bringing a giftwrapped bottle of Bordeaux wine as a Christmas present for
his French teacher.

Cosmo Zinkow violated Georgia laws against possession of alcohol by a minor
and bringing alcohol onto school property, Cobb County school officials
said.

Zinkow's father said he was stunned at the school board's action. He said
his son is an A student and had offered his teacher the bottle of Mouton
Cadet Bordeaux in a sealed box wrapped with Christmas paper Thursday.

The Griffin Middle School teacher, whom officials said doesn't drink
alcohol, informed the school's principal about the gift, as required by a
school policy which mandated a 10day suspension.

"When you take a Christmas gift to the teacher, wrapped and in a box with a
bow and a card, that's not possessing alcohol," Bill Zinkow told the
Atlanta JournalConstitution newspaper.

"I felt like this was an appropriate gift for her. He's a good kid, and he
didn't deserve to be treated this way at all."