Teacher asking for Yankee candles/test.....Update Pg 12 #168

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You had me until the part about PAYING the students WITH GRADES for doing "charity". Whatever happened to charity coming from the heart, without expectations of rewards like UPPING THEIR GRADES.

Extra credit, History...write a report on WWII, go to Ellis Island, interview a veteran, attend a ceremony honoring veterans...not bring in something the kid's mother picked up at the store and handed to her kid to bring to school. Unbelievable. I'm flabbergasted.

I'm trying to remember, but it seemed that all my extra-credit opportunities were academically related in school.

Maybe a point or two here for something that wasn't academically related, but never anything that would alter our grades in such a fashion as to essentially be bribed. But I really cannot remember too many of those. I remember more the projects and stuff.

 

[DWGal210]

Wow, this is nuts! That teacher is out of her mind.

Reminds me of when I was in high school (and in my French class, too, coincidentally) and our teacher would give us extra credit for doing things like turning on the TV/VCR for her (she was a short gal) or if we brought in a French food to share with the class. Now I don't have a problem with the second opportunity for special credit, that seems OK to me - but when kids are bringing in Pillsbury Crescent rolls and passing them off as croissants? I don't think so!

Not too surprising, nearly everyone in that class got an A but if we had to take an oral language exam, we'd have flunked.

She didn't teach at our school for long, and I kinda wonder what happend to her.

 

[mickeymedic]

She didn't teach at our school for long, and I kinda wonder what happend to her.

She's collecting Yankee Candles from her students now.

 

[mamamary]

She's collecting Yankee Candles from her students now.

 

[tasha99]

Loved the comment about the smell of extortion.
I could see that as a news teaser ("The smell of extortion at Blah Blah High School as teacher asks for bribes of high end scented candles")

This is just outrageous--I'd talk to the principal for sure.

 

[binny]

That is what I thought too - My son had been complaining of a headache and being tired all week and it wasn't until friday that he started a fever. I took him to the Dr because we have to have a Dr's note when they are out and I wanted to be sure he wasn't coming down with the flu. I was quite surprised when the Dr wanted to test him for mono and the blood test came out positive. She did say that there have been mild cases of mono going around the area right now and she has seen alot of it. I thought it would be alot worse then it was too.

wow when I had Mono I was out for a month! That was horrible and nothing I would wish on anyone. I had the Hepatitis to go with it and everything.

I didnt know there was a mono-light



I am amazed by the audacity of the teachers request and agree with it being discrimination. I can understand volunteer opportunities (something that everyone could participate in) but anything that requests money is blatant discrimination IMHO

 

[barkley]

You had me until the part about PAYING the students WITH GRADES for doing "charity". Whatever happened to charity coming from the heart, without expectations of rewards like UPPING THEIR GRADES.

Extra credit, History...write a report on WWII, go to Ellis Island, interview a veteran, attend a ceremony honoring veterans...not bring in something the kid's mother picked up at the store and handed to her kid to bring to school. Unbelievable. I'm flabbergasted.

ITA!!!

i got into this with one of my kid's former christian school teacher (they had the same one for a couple of years in a multi grade classroom) over this very issue.

the kids came home with a charity collection form and said they were told that they HAD to solicit donations because they were being graded on it, were required to raise a certain amount to get a passing grade AND in order for the entire class to get a pizza party reward they had to have 100% participation. i met with the teacher and asked since when was there a financial equation to earning a grade and what the deal was-she said they were teaching the kids about charity and that this was part of the lesson plan. she said that she did'nt expect the kid's parents to provide the minimum, that the kids should go door to door (she seemed taken aback and unaware when i pointed out the city the school was in/we lived in had a law on the book that specificialy prohibited minors from going door to door for any kind of charitable solicitations). i asked exactly what the learning objective was-she starts talking about the biblical aspects of charity...i then pointed out that the church they were affiliated was adamant in it's instruction and practices that charity is a personal matter, that it should never be done in a public manner (as in announcing who did/did not contribute/raise funds) and is NEVER to be done for any kind of reward. teacher kept trying to make excuses for why it was acceptable to go against the church's teachings then finaly conceded that the 'only' way they had ever been successful in getting the kids to do this charitable fundraiser was to tie it to grades and reward them with the pizza.

i told her that no way my kids would participate, and if it resulted in a negative consequence grade wise it would be a matter for the church school board. i also told her that if my kids got any kind of flack for keeping the others from getting their pizza party by virtue of not participating it would be a matter for the church school board as well. she hemmed and hawed and said she would confer with her supervisor.

supervisor must have agreed-the next day all the kids were told that the project was voluntary, no minimum to collect 'just do your best if you want to participate', no grades connected to it-and they would just do a regular 'pizza day' as they had in the past. they still had a good number of the kids participate.

 

[disykat]

I'm still trying to figure out if there's any way this could still be a misunderstanding. (If not, it's just too terrible to wrap my mind around.)

Any chance the French class is selling Yankee candles and has to sell that amount for extra credit?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm still trying to figure out if there's any way this could still be a misunderstanding. (If not, it's just too terrible to wrap my mind around.)

Any chance the French class is selling Yankee candles and has to sell that amount for extra credit?

Except that the e-mail says to bring in a candle.

All fundraisers I have seen have order forms OR had donations from a community business.

Now i did just win a basket at our Catholic school festival. The clasess work to put that together. However, many of the items are donated from the community and not something the student goes and purchases and then brings in for extra credit.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Any chance the French class is selling Yankee candles and has to sell that amount for extra credit?

How is that any better? It's still paying for grades.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I can't get over the fact that she only wants Yankee candles, which makes me think they are for herself. I would not in a million years let my child pay for a grade and I would be at the doors of the school before you could say boo. This is so wrong on so many different levels.
Even with the benefit of doubt that it is for a charity, you give from your heart, not from your grade book.

 

[RunningGirl]

Our teachers aren't even supposed to accept teacher gifts at Christmas, let alone trade grades for goods! This would definitely result in some big trouble in our school system.

 

[C.Ann]

I have an update this morning. I will say that this teacher did promptly answer my email first thing this morning.

In her reply she stated that my son did receive the group grade for their presentation and the candle thing is not for this project BUT it is a over all extra credit opportunity for the whole class if they want the extra credit. So for extra credit she is offereing this....

Extra Credit - bring in by Nov 2nd

1 large yankee candle = 2 test grades
1 med Yankee candle = 1 test grade
1 small Yankee candle = removal of lowest grade

I am just stunned that she thinks it is ok to offer extra credit test grades for candles. I haven't replied to her yet but I will be calling the principal to make him aware of what is going on in this class room. I asked my son again and he still says that she told the class that anyone absent on friday needed to do this if they wanted to make their grade up.

--------------------

Unreal..

 

[Tink888]

Thanks for the update OP. I realize what an difficult situation you feel you are in now, particularly with your son being in her class but I really do hope you will follow up with the principal and let him/her get to the bottom of this and the intended purpose of the candles.

If they were for a charity, it was really poor judgment of the teacher not to communicate that to the students/parents.

Maybe she's young and new and she just needs coached on ethics.

There are just so many reasons why this is so wrong and you've gotten some good advice from prior posters. I could understand if she were offering 10 points or something for a box of tissues or food pantry donations but candles, the highest of which would cost 50.00 and result in a two test score letter grade change? Grades in high school which could affect GPA's, induction into honor societies, grades colleges might look at? Not to mention that the cost & opportunity is deeply biased against students who might not be able to afford that? It's just wrong all around IMHO. Seriously wrong.

I'm not saying she should be fired or anything but her superiors need to let her know this is wrong and also why and if nothing is ever said, it will continue to go on.

Please follow through, not only for your child, but for every student who passes through her class now and in the future and also for this teacher as well. It's bribery pure and simple and it's not a lesson that should be taught in schools. Unfortunately our kids will learn those lessons soon enough in the real world.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I can't even imagine how Yankee Candles are for charity. Clothing, money, non-perishable food items, blankets.... but Yankee Candles?

 

[lovesmurfs]

Unreal. I would reply back to her (keeping the original email in the reply), copy the principal, requesting that any extra credit opportunities be tied to student effort rather than parental finances.

Sheesh.

 

[teacups]

I can't even imagine how Yankee Candles are for charity. Clothing, money, non-perishable food items, blankets.... but Yankee Candles?

I KNOW!! Hubby and I just said this near exact same thing. What, there are a bunch of poor sad people who can barely get by... without their Yankee Candles?

 

[agnes!]

What this teacher has done and suggested is disgusting. I like the idea of e-mailing the teacher and BCC'ing the principal. I would also make an appointment asap with the principal to make sure he reads his email.

NOBODY in the class should do it, everyone should agree *not* to. The students should boycott this asinine idea. I would get a hold of any parents I might be friendly with and see if they are aware of the situation.

As the Marines say, this is a hill I would choose to die on.

Or all the students could go together and buy a single Yankee Candle, maybe the smallest kind available, maybe in a nasty STRONG floral but certainly NOT in anything Christmas-y...then sit back and watch that poor French teacher get out of taking away every single student's lowest grade. I mean....she didn't specify that *each* student Had to bring in an individual candle did she?

Oh, and she should watch out that some kid doesn't whip out his cell-phone and record her larcenous attempt at graft...there might not be an expectation of privacy in a classroom kwim?

agnes!

 

[Imzadi]

So what, exactly does extortion smell like?

It's a scent that's vile and stinky. It lingers in the air for a long time after the fact and stinks up everything. It's a scent you never forget.

 

[Jennasis]

I'll be honest...since it is entirely likely this teacher will be suspended or possibly fired from the school over this, I'd go whole hog and call the local news station as well. See if they have a reporter whose "beat" is education. They would be on this like stink on a hound dog.