Could I have your opinions on a school issue?

[Wishydoo]

The School Budget is up for vote in the near future, as it is this time every year in our city.
Each year that my kids have been in school, they have come home with flyers "reminding" parents to vote.
As they have gotten older, they have come home with quotes from their teachers, regarding the teacher's view of the budget and possible cuts., and even stories of how "Mrs. Smith might not have a job if you don't vote Mom".
Now, I have to admit, this has annoyed me a bit. I've wondered why the teachers and faculty are spending school hours discussing this with the kids. I certainly appreciate the reminder flyers, though.
My 2 kids are in Middle and High school now, which means they have even more teachers and more stories. They have been told that their favorite teachers will be gone, and their sports will be gone, and they will no longer be able to take band, if their parents don't vote.
This has been going on for weeks, everyday.
I'm just not sure I understand why the school is engaging the kids in this so much.

And today, my 14 year old son came home and told me that his English teacher offered an extra credit grade to any student who attended the school budget meeting.

Is it just me, or is that a bit out of line?

BTW...the teachers begin picketing tomarrow morning.

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

*edited to add...I thoroughly appreciate teachers and all that they do. I understand the importance of all the "extras". My children have had very postive and productive school careers, and I owe much of that to our great school system.
I'm just not sure about the issues I mentioned above.

 

[suzannen]

Oh, Wishydoo, I'm with you all the way. That is over the line. Reminding the kids to "remind" their parents to attend the meeting and to vote is important, but telling kids their favorite teacher may be fired or sports programs cut, that is too much info!

Keep us posted.

 

[dandave]

I guess they see the kids as a captive audience. It does directly affect the students, so I can see why the teachers would discuss it with them. They may hope that concerned students will talk about it with their parents. I don't think that they should harp on it daily, though.

As for the extra credit... DS's second grade teacher gives out "no homework" slips, if the kids attend school sponsored events like skate nights.

 

[Tinkbell]

The fact is that many of the wonderful programs that schools offer could possibly be cut if a school levy fails. We hear this on the news all the time in our area. Sounds like the school is doing their part to get the kids involved by motivating parents. I think it's great that your kids care about it at all.

 

[Saffron]

Way out of line.

It's one thing to discuss what may happen if they go on strike and why they are going on strike, kids need to know, it's their school, their teachers, their education. It's another thing to spend time talking about their personal lives eg: Mrs. Smith may not have a job if your mom or dad doesn't vote. Guilt trips are for parents to lay on the kids, not teachers.

The extra credit thing is waaayyyyyyyyyy over the line. What about the kids who can't possibly go tonight, or who go but because they're rebelious, take the opposite stance the teachers would want them to take? Ick. It's very tacky. It's like buying a vote or something.

 

[amid chaos]

A bit too invasive for me....

 

[NHAnn]

Those kind of tactics/pressure, on a daily basis, would bother me a lot!
The extra credit part I think is way out of line...unless a different opportunity for extra credit is offered to students who can't/won't go to the budget meeting but would attend some other "civic" meeting.

 

[goofy4tink]

This exact thing happened in our school system a year or so ago. Man, did it bother most of us!!! The kids, in elem. school, were starting to get scared. Now, this year, more budget cuts, huge ones. It looks like we'll be losing a lot of our para professionals. And they do yeoman's duty for the teachers. Of course the teachers are screaming, since now they'll have to do a lot of their own grunt work. I apologize to any teachers if I insult you. I don't mean to. I know what you do for our children. But there are some teachers out there who keep asking for more and more. Our teachers went out on strike and at one point most of the teachers wanted to sign the new contract but the union leaders didn't think it was good enough!! Good teachers are worth their weight in gold. We can never pay them what they are truly worth. But they should not be bringing their students into their fight. It's their fight, with the town and the voting townspeople.

 

[GEM]

Well, in our town, programs like music, art, and drama are long gone. The teacher's assistants have all been let go and it was announced in the newspaper this week that they are cutting 30 of our 80 teachers for the next school year - meaning much bigger class sizes and the death of lots more "extra" programs like remedial reading, etc. Kids are sharing text books and teachers are spending their own money on classroom supplies. And, to make matters worse, teachers in our state are barely living above the poverty level. Many of them have been forced to take second jobs at Wal-Mart, etc. just to make ends meet.

So, yeah, maybe it is inappropriate - but whatever they are saying is probably true and I can definately understand why they are terrified and desperate! It's a sad situation.

 

[bsnyder]

I have a huge problem with this. And I have a huge problem with teachers' unions.

They have a clear conflict of interest when they are engaged in collective bargaining over budgets, salary, etc. What may be good for the teachers doesn't necessarily translate into quality education for the students, although the unions would have you believe it does.

This is NOT directed at any individual teachers out there. They have a difficult and important job, one that I'll admit I wouldn't be very good at.

 

[gepetto]

What was the context of this discussion in the classroom? Was there a question of "what can happen if there are budget cuts at our school?"

I also don't see a problem with rewarding a kid with extra credit for attending a government forum.

 

[RitaZ.]

This is out of line. The teachers are probably encouraged by the administration and their union to do this. I think most teachers wouldn't do this on their own.

BTW, those issues have not been brought up by my kids' teachers and/or schools. The closest they have come to doing this was last year. Our elementary school put up a HUGE sign in the school's parking lot about the possible budget cuts and its effects on "your" child's education if Governor Bush was re-elected. The sign was only up one day, and the Superintendent got in trouble.

 

[Wishydoo]

I guess my biggest problem with it is the excessiveness of it. Excessive enough, that it's making me suspicious, lol.

But, I balance that out by showing my kids the other side of the coin. I don't know anyone that isn't aware what school budget cuts can entail. But, as much as people appreciate the teachers, the programs, and all the activities, some of them simply cannot afford the yearly tax increases. Especially when their own wage increases do not match those of the city, or they are on fixed incomes, such as the elderly. All the wishing in the world won't get blood from a rock. Those people will vote against the increases, and the budget has been voted down in the past. I won't comment on how I will vote.

I know teachers in many parts of the country are paid poorly. Fortunately, that is not the case in my area. They come from all over to work here, and then they go home and spend their money in other counties. Nothing wrong with that though, there's not too many places to spend it here. The teachers stopped buying supplies for their classrooms years ago. We buy everything, including kleenex.

As far as the extra credit...
Unfortunately, my son will be unable to attend the budget meeting tomarrow night, because we have another very important event to attend.
The teacher offered no alternative to recieve extra credit for this.

Apparently, the school budget conversations take place in the classrooms...whenever. I sense it is not part of a study in civics.

Someone on this thread, (I'm sorry, I forgot who), said they thought it was great that my kids talked to me about it, and that they cared. That's true. That's why I listen to it everyday.

Let me just end on this thought...
I Love Teachers!

I would still appreciate hearing your thoughts.

 

[Kallison]

I work for our school district and that seems out of line to me. One reminder should be plenty.

 

[gepetto]

Originally posted by Wishydoo


The teachers stopped buying supplies for their classrooms years ago. We buy everything, including kleenex.

Apparently, the school budget conversations take place in the classrooms...whenever. I sense it is not part of a study in civics.

The teachers in our younger grades spend an unbelievable amount of their own money on materials and supplies. I don't think that happens as much after the kids reach 4th grade or so. After that the kids bring their own supplies.

If they are bringing these issues up in a lot of their classes, then it sounds like a problem.

 

[GEM]

Originally posted by Wishydoo
The teachers stopped buying supplies for their classrooms years ago. We buy everything, including kleenex.

I'm not talking about personal supplies for the kids like kleenex, pencils, etc. I'm talking more about things for the class as a whole - audio tapes, novels for reading time, educational games, posters, stuff for the bulletin boards, workbooks, little prizes to give as rewards, etc - the kind of things that make a nice learning enviroment for a kid. The teachers I know spend quite a bit of their own money on that kind of thing.

 

[Wishydoo]

point taken

 

[disykat]

Sorry, wishdoo, I know you got the point but I can't resist adding a comment. It used to be the school budget provided many of the supplies (except for Kleenex - I remember bringing a box every year in grade school too). When I first started teaching I had crayons, sissors, paint sets, etc. already in my room. Now the kids pretty much bring everything. I've spent a lot of money on extras for my classroom but would probably never go back to teaching if I thought I'd have to buy the kids general supplies - It costs enough to buy my own kids!

I agree with you about the voting thing. It seems like overkill. It's not really a new thing though. Our high school band marched down main street in 1977, along with the football teams etc. when those funds were threatened. It was called a "get out to vote" rally and we did it during school hours.

Counting on levy support for funding stinks.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

it sounds like a guilt trip to me

 

[Kteacher]

Wishy that sounds excessive to me. Our town is also in a fiscal mess, laying off teachers cutting back services (including early literacy programs-what are they thinking????) The whole thing is very frustrating and very depressing- whatever happened to " Leave no child behind"?