School incident - advice please?

[SandraM]

My 16 yo DD was told in school today by a final year prefect that she either had to go bag-packing for charity in a supermarket next Sunday, or pay 10 euros, or get a demerit.
I would encourage my kids to do things for charity regularly, but I really object to a school ORDERING this to be done, especially if it's outside school hours.

A careers evening is on this Thursday and my DD was told it was mandatory. She has been booked for ages to babysit for a friend of mine on that evening, and when she told her teacher this, she was asked that I write a note of explanation in her homework notebook.
I don't see why I should write a note as to why my DD is missing something outside school hours, especially as the school has not sent me a note about this careers evening in the first place.

I think that at this stage schools should be encouraging things rather than insisting on them, after all these girls will be finished school in June 2005. I'm trying to put a reasonably diplomatic letter to the principal together, but am finding it hard. My DH is away but I told him about this on the phone. He is incandescent!
What do you think?

 

[shamrock bunch]

I agree w/ you. People make plans in advance for various things and shouldn't be told that they have to change or else! Especially for functions outside of school time. How would the teachers or people in charge like it if they were told they had to do something not on company time. Why couldn't the kids be given a couple months to complete a service project on their own time?

 

[mrsv98]

Personally, I have a real problem with schools "requiring" students to participate/attend functions outside of school hours. DD is only 3.5yo but I was a teacher for years and none of our programs were mandatory. Children are in school most of the day, then you add in sports and other activities. Pile on homework and their days are full. To me, family time comes first. If we, as a family, decide to participate in a charitable function, that is up to us. The same goes for evening functions, give me the information and then we will decide what is important. There was a thread here about a week ago dealing with something very much like this. Beauty's DS was not going to be at an evening concert and was going to be given low marks as a result. She (and other concerned parents) spoke to the principal and the issue was resolved. I would write a letter expressing concern and have your DD fulfill her babysitting commitment. JMHO

 

[mtemm]

I went to a Catholic High School and in order to graduate we had to do a certain number of community service hours. We were given ideas and numbers of places and I'm sure if we wanted we could have had something of our own device approved. I think it was 40 hours or something like that. But we certainly weren't given a weeks notice on it! It was something we knew about from the beginning of senior year and had the year to complete. I think its very strange their approach out of the blue like this.

If its simply a case of needing community service hours, is there any chance she can substitute the babysitting for the bag-packing?

I do think you should write a note for her, and also explain that you would like to know now if anything further will be required this school year so you have some advanced warning.

 

[tkd lisa]

In our state, we have recently added a requirement for 10 community service hours in order to graduate from high school. But, it's your choice how and when you do the service.

If something after school is mandatory, they need to provide reasonable notice (a month would be nice, a week would be the minimum), and allow excused absences for prior committments.

Good luck!

 

[Cindy B]

In order for students to graduate from the middle school I work in, a required amount of 10-15 community service hours are needed. The hourse get logged, and signed off on.

 

[SandraM]

Thank you for your helpful thoughts.
BTW, this is not for community service, my DD did this last year.
This is fund-raising by the school for a charity.
DD has done bag packing before (separate to the community service requirements of her school), that's not the problem.
It's the fact that she's been told she has to do it or pay a fine or get a demerit. In my book that's not far off extortion.
Thanks again.

 

[philaround]

If schools think they can mandate after school functions for students I suggest they try to schedule Teacher Career Days [or whatever they call them in your area] for weekends so the kids don't have to miss another day of school.