Not happy about something in middle school

[clh2]

And, both my DD and DH have told me to "please don't call the principal" about this.

DD is in 7th grade, and one of her teachers has a pet little project, since the teacher likes pink flamingos and our local zoo apparently is renovating the flamingo area, this teacher is trying to collect money from each person in her classes. She is checking off names as the kids donate money.

I am FURIOUS about this.

FWIW, this teacher is in love with pink flamingos, and has quite a collection of them.

I strongly encourage my DD to be very supportive in any fund raising activity the Student Council does, any fund-raising activity specific to a grade level activity, where the students do the work, pick the cause etc.

I just feel like this teacher is abusing her authority as a teacher to make this collection, especially since she is keeping track of who has donated so far. And to me, this is no different than the school bully stealing lunch money from little kids. A bit harsh perhaps, but if this is truly the teacher's cause, she shouldn't be asking the kids to fund "her donation."

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[Lil_Tink]

I've had a teacher who did this, and if we didnt donate, we got marked off points.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Has she sent home flyers requesting the money? Is she specific about where the money is going? If it's purely voluntary, then I wouldn't make a huge issue out of it. It's up to the parents whether or not they want to send their kids home with money, and in 7th grade, if the kids want to donate their own money, they're probably old enough to decide that for themselves.

Have you had any other problems with this particular teacher? Have you been unhappy with the quality of education your child has been receiving? If no to both of these questions, I would just let it go. There are worse things to worry about then a good (I'm assuming) teacher's love for flamingos.

 

[Anewman]

I just feel like this teacher is abusing her authority as a teacher

I have a big problem with this all of the time, I wish teachers would just teach without expressing their own view on a variety of topics that children are still not capable of making grown up decisions about.

Religion, politics, diets and alternate lifestyles should not be bashed or praised by teachers, they do not realize the influence they have on children.

My 7 year old DGD came home from school one day and declared she was now a vegetarian, her mom tells me that 4 other kids in the class did the same. Without getting into a debate about vegetarianism, a educated person should know better than expressing her own biased views on the subject with little girls that look up to them.

My DD is in the 11th grade and her math teacher is a big democrat, so am I but the point is how does that come up in MATH CLASS????

 

[chager]

hmmm, I'm not sure about collecting for a cause and basically making it mandatory. I happen to know our principal and would probably ask about it. Not trying to get anyone in trouble, but it just doesn't sound right. I would be irritated about it. I know we have have no extra funds so my child would not be able to donate if he was in that position. We can barely pay tuition right now!

 

[DawnCt1]

I agree because to me there is that tacit message of "if you don't support my cause, your grades may suffer". DS#2 had a professor that "required" all of the students to join a particular engineering organization. There is subtle intimidation there and it was worth it for us to pony up the money to do so. After all, there is less supervision of college professors than there is of middle school teachers. I am slightly inclined to suggest calling the teacher but then of course, if she is doing something inappropriate, she will not acknowledge it anyway. The other option is to call the principal and innocently ask if most teachers have their "pet" projects that the children donate to, and are pink flamingos an acceptable recipient of your generosity and "oh by the way, is participation required? That should raise some awareness. The other thing you could do is bite the bullet and pony up the $$$, which could be seen as extortion. Only you and your child know the "heart" or lack of, of this teacher.
I have a negative opinion of middle school teachers, so it is hard for me to be objective. My view is that they don't behave much differently than their charges.

 

[kdibattista]

Maybe she is checking off the names for a thank you card? Or maybe she wants to give that info to the zoo?

If it is for "her record" and she continues to badger students then yes, I think she is out of line although I would probably talk to her and not the principal.

 

[clh2]

Has she sent home flyers requesting the money? Is she specific about where the money is going? If it's purely voluntary, then I wouldn't make a huge issue out of it. It's up to the parents whether or not they want to send their kids home with money, and in 7th grade, if the kids want to donate their own money, they're probably old enough to decide that for themselves.

The teacher has not sent home flyers. However, my DD doesn't feel that this is a voluntary thing.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

The teacher has not sent home flyers. However, my DD doesn't feel that this is a voluntary thing.

So do this: phone the teacher, and ask about it. Tell her your dd feels that this is a mandatory thing, and you aren't that comfortable with it. I don't think you should go to the principal until you are 100% sure about how the teacher is going about this.

 

[Mermaid02]

It's wrong for the teacher to ask for money from the kids. Period.

 

[The_Horned_King]

My DD is in the 11th grade and her math teacher is a big democrat, so am I but the point is how does that come up in MATH CLASS????

This is off topic, but as a teacher you'd be surprised what the students bring up in conversations among themselves then ask for the teachers opinion on. It's a fine line to walk.

as for the flamingo thing...if it's required then there is a problem...if it's voluntary then i see no problem in it.

On a side not I have never and will never do this type of thing I think there are far to many fundraisers in school as it is.

 

[JoyG]

We really have no way of knowing the reason why she's checking names off.

As a parent, I would just send in a simple note that we wouldn't be contributing and that should be enough to have your daughters name checked off that list...and if it's not checked at the very least she wouldn't ask your daughter about donating anymore.

Definitely not worth contacting a principal for.

 

[kendall]

So do this: phone the teacher, and ask about it. Tell her your dd feels that this is a mandatory thing, and you aren't that comfortable with it. I don't think you should go to the principal until you are 100% sure about how the teacher is going about this.

Agreed - start with the teacher. Call and ask for additional information about the project as DD hadn't brought any information home.... and see where it goes.

 

[Daxx]

As a teacher, I would never dream of asking my students to contribute to a "pet project" of mine. If I wanted to adopt the zoo animal for either myself or for the class, I would do so on my own. Esp. since it would be something that I wanted to do for the class/me. Asking kids to contribute to what she wants is just wrong. Most likely, the majority of kids in the class could care less about the flamingo.

If my students told me that they wanted to adopt a zoo animal, then I would tell them that we'd have to talk to the principal about it, get his permission to fundraise for it, etc.

Are you concerned that not contributing might cause some problems between your child and the teacher? The only way I'd bring it up to the principal is if the lack of donation on your end impacted your child negatively.

 

[JoyG]

It's wrong for the teacher to ask for money from the kids. Period.

I don't think it's as cut and dry as that.

We ask students for money all the time for workbooks in our poor district. We also collect pennies (and sometimes dollars) for the needy around the holidays. We've also collected money for soldiers...I can't remember what...maybe to buy phonecards? Anyway, it was never mandated that you give of course, but I don't think that collecting money of any form is wrong.

 

[Mermaid02]

I don't think it's as cut and dry as that.

We ask students for money all the time for workbooks in our poor district. We also collect pennies (and sometimes dollars) for the needy around the holidays. We've also collected money for soldiers...I can't remember what...maybe to buy phonecards? Anyway, it was never mandated that you give of course, but I don't think that collecting money of any form is wrong.

I disagree. It's one thing to donate a can of corn for the local food pantry- it's another thing to ask children to bring in money. If you want money- send a note home to the parents. I can't believe the pressure the kids must feel if they think the teacher is "keeping track".

 

[Sandy51]

It may also involve community service. When we did our canned food drive for Thanksgiving, I had to keep track of who brought in cans so the students could get community service credit. It had nothing to do with a grade.


Sandy

 

[Daxx]

This is off topic, but as a teacher you'd be surprised what the students bring up in conversations among themselves then ask for the teachers opinion on. It's a fine line to walk.

That's the truth!!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

It may also involve community service. When we did our canned food drive for Thanksgiving, I had to keep track of who brought in cans so the students could get community service credit. It had nothing to do with a grade.


Sandy

But didn't you send a flyer home explaining the community service and the canned food drive?

 

[Feralpeg]

My view is that they don't behave much differently than their charges.

Gosh! Talk about gross generalizations! I teach high school and middle school kids. It sounds like you've had issues with a few teachers. Maybe they were bad, but I don't really think you should judge all middle school teachers based on a few.

OP, sorry to take this off topic.