Dwarf Planet Pluto Isn't PC Anymore

Just when you thought political-correctness couldn't get any worse, it turns out even planets can be cause for offense. Specifically, Pluto, which was, in fact, demoted from planet to dwarf planet last year. And, you guessed it, the term, "dwarf" is the problem.

According to a woman I overheard at the gym, a lesson plan involving Pluto ruffled some feathers in her son's Marin County elementary school. It seems his teacher is what's now known as a "little person" (but used to be known as "midgets" or, less frequently, "dwarves") and concern was raised that she might be offended by the use of the term, "dwarf."

But, in the end, the anxiety was for nought because the teacher (who obviously had more sense than her colleagues) assured her class that they could go ahead and call Pluto a "dwarf planet" after all.

Whew--crisis averted!