Ethics and School Budget dilemma

[Cindy B]

Our local towns school budget vote is tomorrow. My kids have been coming home with things regarding this for the past week or so.

First was the application to vote (in case you weren't registered) back in March. Then it was reminders, then the school wish list, then district recommendations, and reminders from the superintendent. On Friday, my kids came home with this unethical piece of information.

The principal sent a note regarding the election. (4th note regarding it!) In this note, she stated that if children were present with the children to vote, the students would receive a citizenship award. To me that sounds a bit unethical, to "bribe" a student with an award. Also with this certificate, they can also tell what parents aren't participating by tracking this information.

I personally feel this "tactic" is wrong. This principal is retiring this year, so hopefully this will be corrected next year.

Is that citizenship award unethical?

 

[Microcell]

I have been getting bombarded with things like this too. Seems unethical to me, but our district is desperate. They are asking not to be absent on Take your daughter/son to work day too!

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

they're not asking you to vote for or against the budget, but only asking you to participate in the process. there's nothing unethical about rewarding a student for good citizenship by participating in the process.

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

With them being able to track who's parents voted, they can track who's parents did NOT vote. Will these kids be treated differently?

Kids have enough to deal with without the faulting of the actions of their parents. The gov't cannot give out the names of voted and not, but can the school?

What are they likely to do with this information?

 

[Shannon G]

there's nothing unethical about rewarding a student for good citizenship by participating in the process.

But is there something unethical about rewarding or not rewarding a student for their parents' good citizenship? After all, the reward (as I understand it) is based upon whether the child goes with their parent when the parent goes to vote. So if the parent chooses not to vote, which the child has no control over, the child does not get an award.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

They should have stated this earlier if they were going to do it--in most places it's too late to register if the election is the next day! My kids love going with me to vote though, and I've never missed an election since I turned 18--I can't tell you how many of my students don't vote when they turn 18 because 'it doesn't matter'.
Robin M.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't have a ethics problem with it as long as they DON'T know if you voted for or against it. Yes it is kind of sad that the school is resorting to this tactic to get parents to the voting booth. Is your issue a big deal??? Ours was. They were going to cut ALL elementary & middle & freshman HS programs

As a sidenote our school proposition passed (April 6th) during Spring Break by 88 votes.

The next county over (school district) had a proposition passed by only 4 votes!