I think our school has lost it!...update post #48

[mom2princessj]

An onsite bookstore? Lucky you - I still hand my kids $2.50 a day for lunch money. If my children need extra supplies or things for projects, either they tell me, or in the case of a project, it's on the assignment (which can easily become stuck in the bottom of a backpack ). Sure, the kids in the younger grades get a lot of notes sent home by the teacher, but by 4th grade, a lot less - the kids are responsible to write this information in their agenda pads (part of the teaching process, to make the kids more independent).

I had bookstores in my school when I was a kid and then again in high school...
Both Indiana and Illinois school systems (at least the one we lived in) encourage the 'account' system where you send in a check or pay online by direct debit/credit card for lunch so cash is not brought to school. I know some of the private schools still will allow the kids to bring lunch money in but they do also have the online system and would prefer the parents contribute to this. The school system I was in Illinois did not allow cash payments at all from kids...they didn't even take a check at the school you had to do lunch payments/account payments fully online or credit card/debit card over the phone.
Also assignments are posted online and progress reports posted online. Its a very nice system. I'm very happy that we'll get all of the info we need online for all grades not just the younger grades. No way the kids are going to hide things from you when they don't know the password (the parents have a different password to get in to the childs progress report, and parent only info) than the kids do for their online school account.

OP I'm glad you got it straightened out although I agree with the others that no credit should have been given for the 'assignment' in the first place. Maybe this first year teacher has learned a good lesson herself from this! Sounds like she had good intentions but didn't think it through entirely.

 

[sk!mom]

Welllll, when checking his grades online this morning, he fell from an A- to a C in one class. Checking out why/what happened to make his grade fall this much, I notice a big zero as a grade. Guess what the zero was from...

DONATING FOOD FOR THE THANKSGIVING FOOD PANTY---0/100

I was/am totally upset by this. Of course, when I called the school I feel I got the run around from them. I was told that this teacher feels it is a good way to get the students involved and it is part of the study in this subject (health). My response is how can you give a grade to a child for something like this. They haven't a clue what goes on within a family structure, if a family can honestly afford it, or doesn't celebrate for whatever reason. I feel awful for my son because he works really hard (this is a child who studies for hours to pass a test) for those grades. It's not something that comes natural to him...he really applies himself. Now that I chose not to participate in the food drive, he was given a ZERO and will really have to work to overcome that grade.

Please share with me you thoughts. Of course, now that it is over, my DH is saying I should have sent in items based on the points they put on items so my son would get a "A" in it.(of course, my son didn't tell me this part, he just came home saying food drive-partically his fault) but as I told my DH, I am trying to provide food for 4 household and I don't think a school should base a child's grade or grade them on what they donate to the food drive.

WWYD if this was your child/school. I'm really upset by this and feel the need to see about getting this changed for future students and their families who simply can't afford to "DONATE" or for a child to recieve a bad grade because of it.

What would I do? Raise Holy Heck! WIth the teacher, the principal, and anyone else necessary. Your child's grade should be based totally on his level of mastery of a given subject. Not to mention that this is totally discriminatory against those who possibly cannot afford to participate.

Geez- I'm a teacher but sometimes teachers drive me crazy!

 

[disney_family_1247]

I would lodge a formal complaint with the teacher, and if she doesn't do anything, then report it directly to the principal. I taught in a public school, and I would never have been allowed to do that (even if I was awful enough to think it up in the first place).

I taught in a fairly affluent area, but there were some children in the school who were not well-off. One day, a little girl came up to me in the morning and whispered, "I didn't bring in anything for the Food Bank because my family gets food from them." The poor baby felt guilty because the stupid school kept announcing the drive over and over on the intercom every day. Believe me, I'm all for charity and teaching kids to give to others, but what good is it doing if the "others" are being made to feel bad because of it?

Grades should be based on hard work and merit and never on donations. You are not overreacting, and your son should have that 0 removed from his average.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

I had bookstores in my school when I was a kid and then again in high school...
Both Indiana and Illinois school systems (at least the one we lived in) encourage the 'account' system where you send in a check or pay online by direct debit/credit card for lunch so cash is not brought to school. I know some of the private schools still will allow the kids to bring lunch money in but they do also have the online system and would prefer the parents contribute to this. The school system I was in Illinois did not allow cash payments at all from kids...they didn't even take a check at the school you had to do lunch payments/account payments fully online or credit card/debit card over the phone.
Also assignments are posted online and progress reports posted online. Its a very nice system. I'm very happy that we'll get all of the info we need online for all grades not just the younger grades. No way the kids are going to hide things from you when they don't know the password (the parents have a different password to get in to the childs progress report, and parent only info) than the kids do for their online school account.

OP I'm glad you got it straightened out although I agree with the others that no credit should have been given for the 'assignment' in the first place. Maybe this first year teacher has learned a good lesson herself from this! Sounds like she had good intentions but didn't think it through entirely.

What area of IN? We will be moving to NW IN (Crown Point/St John/Cedar Lake area) *hopefully* this spring.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm sorry, but I don't think the compromise is any better. It means more time and effort for the child if you can't afford to bring in a donation. For the kids who are better off, they have to spend 2 seconds pulling a can off of a shelf. How is that fair????

 

[sage10]

I would definitely talk to the school again. That is suppose to be a volunteer thing. While not the same thing, my mom tells a story about when I was in grade school. Our school wanted a 100% participation with PTA, so they gave an incentive of an ice cream party for the classes that got 100%. Well both my parents worked and couldn't make it. So they didn't join. My teacher announced to the class that they didn't get a party because my mom wouldn't join. I went home in tears that day. Later my mom walked into the school and threw down a $20, and told the principal if that ever happened again she would be back. She paid for ice cream for the class. But it was the principle of the matter that upset her. I would be livid if my children were given a 0 as a grade for donating food. First off, if they are getting a grade then it isn't donating out of the goodness of their heart now is it!! I hope they will get rid of that 0 for you.

 

[3boymthr]

I get so aggravated by "mandated" donations. And it happens not just at school but other venues as well. People think they are doing a good thing... Our cub scouts den leader decided that as a den project each child would bring in a toy to donate to the needy for Christmas and had the boys decide and tell the other kids what they were going bring to the next den meeting to donate - In my head I was thinking "uh - hellooo don't you think you should discuss this with the parents before creating a project that requires they spend money???" I know she has money to burn (hubby is a SR. VP at a fortune 500 co.) but I don't and neither do some of the other parents (one family just moved in with the grandparents...).

My point is that people just don't always think before they come up with projects for charity. Since the den leader knows everyone and their family situations IMO this is just proof that she didn't think the project through. I think the teacher had good intentions but went about it the wrong way and didn't think it all the way through.

I also think that even asking the child to volunteer in sorting the food for the food pantry to get a grade is wrong. Any kind of grade for charity is wrong - bonus points or test grade or party or whatever. Our school is collecting used blankets and old winter coats to donate to the homeless shelter but there is no grade attached and no reward other than - you've done a good thing - thank you. Isn't that what charity is about - doing good because it is a good thing to do - not because you get rewarded for it?

 

[mom2princessj]

What area of IN? We will be moving to NW IN (Crown Point/St John/Cedar Lake area) *hopefully* this spring.

We live in Northwest Indiana too...I pm'd you!

 

[mom2princessj]

I get so aggravated by "mandated" donations. And it happens not just at school but other venues as well. People think they are doing a good thing... Our cub scouts den leader decided that as a den project each child would bring in a toy to donate to the needy for Christmas and had the boys decide and tell the other kids what they were going bring to the next den meeting to donate - In my head I was thinking "uh - hellooo don't you think you should discuss this with the parents before creating a project that requires they spend money???" I know she has money to burn (hubby is a SR. VP at a fortune 500 co.) but I don't and neither do some of the other parents (one family just moved in with the grandparents...).

My point is that people just don't always think before they come up with projects for charity. Since the den leader knows everyone and their family situations IMO this is just proof that she didn't think the project through. I think the teacher had good intentions but went about it the wrong way and didn't think it all the way through.

I also think that even asking the child to volunteer in sorting the food for the food pantry to get a grade is wrong. Any kind of grade for charity is wrong - bonus points or test grade or party or whatever. Our school is collecting used blankets and old winter coats to donate to the homeless shelter but there is no grade attached and no reward other than - you've done a good thing - thank you. Isn't that what charity is about - doing good because it is a good thing to do - not because you get rewarded for it?

I think you hit the nail on the head...its about doing good things because you want to not because there is anything other than a good feeling from helping someone else coming your way.

 

[starrzone]

Wow, there have been some excellent points made here! I am with the "grades not being given for volunteering" camp. We should all take a step back and remember exactly WHO is benefiting from the act of volunteerism; it shouldn't be us, by being given an A+ and a pat on the back, but the needy/homeless/less advantaged that we are helping.

I'm a university student, and I get SO aggravated when on-campus organizations recruit for volunteers with the slogan "XYZ will look great on your resume!" Yes, the organizations get the bodies in the door, and I suppose that is a good thing; every little bit helps. It just makes the whole thing seem so superficial, like there is a "show" being put on and the focus turns to the students, not to the charity they are helping.

Anyhow, my motto is: do what you can. I'm sure that if you choose not to participate in the school activity, for whatever reason, there are plenty of ways you can show your child the value of giving to others. Your time is often the best gift you can give! Hopefully, the teacher will learn from this experience and find better ways to teach her students the lesson of giving to others.

 

[Maroon]

ITA!

 

[wii fit mama]

OP, congratulations on taking a difficult situation and making it better for everyone! Personally, I don't have a problem with requiring kids to help others in some way because I think it benefits everyone. I do know that a local school district requires students to volunteer before they can get their diploma and a lot of people were upset about it.

 

[maxiesmom]

OP, congratulations on taking a difficult situation and making it better for everyone! Personally, I don't have a problem with requiring kids to help others in some way because I think it benefits everyone. I do know that a local school district requires students to volunteer before they can get their diploma and a lot of people were upset about it.

I wouldn't have such a problem if all kids are asked to volunteer. I do have a problem when a child can get out of volunteering by bringing in a donation. If you can buy something to get a grade, you are paying for that grade. Even if it is just by bringing in some food.