Ryan's mother, Carol Duffin, was so angered by the early start which she says has been creeping earlier in her district for years she launched "Save Tennessee Summers" seven years ago and lobbied state lawmakers unsuccessfully for legislation barring a pre-Labor Day first bell.
But one who is said not to share that view is Colin Powell, America's secretary of state, who tried unsuccessfully to build broad international support within the United Nations to disarm Saddam of weapons of mass destruction.