Kicker: Not tall enough

NICK EICHER, HOST: A Chinese student working to become an English language teacher finished up all four years of study. She seemed to clear all the hurdles.

But the most important one she missed by just four inches.

So as a result, officials in the Shaanxi provincial government in China disqualified her from the teaching profession.

How is it that four inches held her back?

Well, government guidelines demand that male teachers be at least 5-foot-1 and that female teachers be at least 4-foot-11.

But Ms. Li, as Chinese media reports identify her, is just 4-foot-7.

Government officials defend the height restrictions, arguing that teachers may need to reach high on blackboards in order to properly teach students.

Unknown is why they waited until the end of the teacher’s four-year education program this year to let her know.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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