Yeah, the smart money says he’s lying. But the smart money can be wrong, shifty kids don’t always lie, and fishy stories are sometimes true. There’s a classic story of a kid who turns in a suspiciously good writing assignment and is wrongly accused of plagiarism or of having had someone else write it — when in fact the kid did write it. It’s a classic because it’s so counterproductive and because it’s happened so many many times.

I don’t think this would happen in adult court. Adults wouldn’t be ordered to write an apology even though they maintained their innocence.

Under the appellate ruling, all he has to do is to express regret (that it happened at all), and Snarly’s right. It does debase the meaning of apology.

Oh, I too think he’s lying. But to tell him, “Oh, you have to say you’re sorry but that doesn’t mean you did it or that you actually ARE sorry” utterly demeans the notion of apology. It turns an apology into meaningless words — without any acknowledgment of culpability, remorse, regret, a pledge to change. And the fact that we already have too much crap apologizing is why we started this blog in the first place.

It’s a kid. He’s lying.

Plus, I believe it’s the way officers of the court think, tricky bastids. Detective says, “look, you’re not under arrest or anything, but Mr C would simply really appreciate it if you apologize for taking his checkbook. In writing.”

Good sorrywatch column, though.