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The Last of the Red Hot Rants
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The Last of the Red Hot Rants This post is only viewable by LesbianPersonals members. Join LesbianPersonals now! When it comes to sex, I need a STRONG connection. Otherwise, the page just keeps buffering and takes FOREVER to load... |
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GOOD
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I'm an educator and as others have said in the comments, I would feel weird to receive these gifts. If a parent or other felt like they wanted to personally give me something, fine, but I would never expect, as have never expected to receive a gift. In another hand, I can see this happening in the US (I'm not from here). I see here there is way more this idea of gifts, certificates of appreciation, bla bla bla. Mostly useless stuff, gadgets, or whatever, but it is just that one has to get/give something. Besides, it sounds like these parents of your children's school are having way too much time in their hands.
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I'd be willing to bet that your state has laws governing what teachers and other government employees can recieve as gifts just like most states I know. I've worked in Ga & Al and if those 2 states have the law I seriously doubt your's doesn't. I would start complaining to the principal and work my up through the school board and beyond until this kind of nonsense is stopped. It is immoral and illegal more than likely. THese parents should be shamed for this kind of behavior. Teachers have a hard enough job without idiots like these making is harder. This is not the norm for room parents at all. I was the room parent for my 9 yr old daughter's classroom on numerous occassions. The schools she attended had very strict rules about what contact we were allowed with other parents and all correspondence had to be approved through the school. Make a suggestion that this be started in your kids school. As a room parent I asked for volunteers for events and special classroom functions as well as supplies for the 2 class parties they are allowed to have here. Gifts to the teacher were not allowed. I have a M.Ed. in middle grades science & SS and taught for about 7 years before the spinal fusion forced me to stop. Even with a masters degree my salary was under $45,000! Like another teacher here I spend over $2000 of that salary on supplies every year. Hell the 1st year I taught I went and bought my own 2nd hand office chair because I have a back problem and we only had plastic chairs that the students sit in for my desk. We were given 1 case of copy paper for the entire year and most of that was used in the mandatory paperwork we had to send home at the start of the year! Anything above that we had to supply ourselves. We were not allowed to accept gifts of ANY kind without special approval including things like printers and cameras for the classroom. I literally begged weekly for parents to supply the basic needs for my students never mind the kleenex and paper towels. We were required to work lots of other times after school and weekends when there were school events. My paid holidays and in service days were either spent in mandatory trainings, meetings or trying to keep up with the grading of 140 students papers for the 3 subjects I taught. Do you know how long it takes to grade 140 of even the simplest assignments & record the grades? The only vacation time I actually got was in the summer and then I was generally tweeking lessons for the coming year and writing plays and skits for our drama program which was totally funded by donantions from parents and money from myself and 1 other teacher who helped run it. Some of my friends who are still teaching are having to pay out of pocket for the substitutes in order to take there time off because of budget cuts. This year there are 5 furlough days without pay and have been no pay raises for over 4 years. It was VERY rare that I ever recieved gifts and when I did they were generally homemade cards of thanks. Occasionally I'd recieve a mug or small gift for Christmas. I still have a folder and box of the letters and cards my students gave me and I treasure them more than any gift card. I think the lesson needed here is for you and other parents in this district to stand up to the bullies extorting money from parents probably illegally and without the schools approval. If the school is approving then take it higher. Teachers get enough of a bad rep without this kind of abuse from parents who claim to be trying to help! Kisses, LA Kisses, LA   
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Sometimes I am forced to read something a second time to make full comprehension of what has been written. What I did here was read what you wrote and before reading it for a second time I went to the comments left. It was at this point I gathered the rant you left was for the room parents, not the teachers. While I am pretty sure you are aware I drive a cab for a living, I do have a BA in education. Although I could choose to work in my profession as a substitute, I chose to work a a job where I CAN pay my bills. There is no money in CCSD to afford the teachers needed for every classroom. Getting back to your rant...lol. It is not that teachers don't appreciate gifts (although I think I am with the majority in preferring heart-felt over monetary), volunteering would be hands down a better alternative. Parents who are engaged breed children who are engaged. I can understand your outrage over these room parents. My suggestion would be to show your outrage to the proper people. Take it as a challenge to approach the appropriate people and get the practice stopped or at least curtailed a bit. As a few have mentioned there are rules about gifts and/or limits on amounts allowed to be accepted by the teachers/schools in certain areas. Work on making your district one of the places where the practice is stopped before it gets even further out of hand. Good Luck
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9/8/2012 3:44 pm |
This is obviously Scott Walker's fault. If he hadn't targeted teachers and public service unions they wouldn't need these handouts to scrape by. 
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LOL. Wait til they get to middle school. I could explain all this to you, but you wouldn't believe what's really going on until you see if for yourself. Hang in there and we can compare notes when the baby graduates. 
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As the male half of Snozog, I wanted to first say I have helped raise funds for special projects at her school and I don't have a problem with that. School boards and administrations tend to get stodgy over time and you have to metaphorically kick 'em in the butt to get them back on task. And staying on-task can be tough as rapidly as the tech tools are changing. But the Competitive Room Parenting is way out of line! It would irritate me to no end too. When faced with situations like this, I try to be innovative. Here is what I'd be tempted to do... When the evolution/creationism debate came to Kansas, a guy invented his own religion, Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) and insisted being given equal time to the other two 'theories'. Look at the Wikipedia entry for 'Flying Spaghetti Monster' for more details. In this case you might consider using good old FSM to your advantage. I bet if you took the time to volunteer ONCE as a Room Parent, came dressed in full pirate regalia and talked about how global warming & pirates are related that the Competitive Room Parents would leave you alone - forever. If they call or email talk their ears off about the FSM. With luck they will soon start avoiding you and keep their aggravation far, far away.
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9/8/2012 10:15 am |
It's becoming more common back here too. 
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Don't let that get out or they will be doing that up here. I have never heard of that. What ever happened to putting a apple on the teacher desk if you liked her?? I pay enough in school fees as it is. This is not meant to offend any one in any way.     
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The Room Parent sent out weekly reminders to ALL THE PARENTS saying, 'We haven't received money for our camera fund from the following families...". Sounds like blackmail to me and I would call them on it. Whether it was in private or in public would depend on my mood and how much of ass they were being. I'm sure there are other parents who feel the same as you.
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Nah GR, if you WEREN'T pissed off, I'de have a problem but 25 bucks is crazy and 'gentle reminders' remind me of cold calling. I did my high school in Westchester, NY. A wealthy part of the US, but we were never asked to compensate for bloody lunches for teachers. The only thing I ever gave my teachers was unrequited love (in the case of a very attractive AP history teacher) and a genuine desire to learn from them. I would have been appalled if they had asked me for lunch money as well. As a student, I would have respected them less certainly.
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as the son of educators, as the brother to a sister and a brother who are educators i think i can say fuck them with a little bit of authority. nothing bothers me more than the fact that we have lost sight of what schools are supposed to do and they have become these huge shams instead. schooling for schools sake. debates rage about how to educate kids these days. well about 150 years of schooling has taken place and i dont see the failures there. i see more failures today. oh shit you got me started. kindly tell your room parent to take a flying fuck at a rolling donut.
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Where I live there are no such perks or expectations that directly benefit teachers.. It is very sad when gestures of appreciation become expectations. It tarnishes the whole meaning of a gesture or gift for both parties. When I read your last reply to HG in MN, the light came on. Perhaps the issue here isn't all just high maintenace greedy teachers but is in part driven by overzealous "room parents". The expectations you describe are very similar to what I have experienced from sports booster clubs which are driven more by the parents involved than the coaches. Most of the teachers I know will never be rich and pursue the field because of a sense of calling and a desire to help children. They are no different than any of us, if they do a good job or selflessly give of themselves often the greatest reward is genuine appreciation. Like most of us, a heart felt thank you means more to them than any monetary gift. That's the tragedy in what you describe, just the way we coddle our kids with constant reward and minimal expectations, when gestures of appreciation become expectations, they no longer carry any meaning. How sad for all involved.
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I am flabbergasted! A teacher is paid a salary, like any other job, what makes them different? Like with a waitress, I want the choice to decide the teacher did a good job and I want to give a little extra something to show my appreciation. In MY way and the amount I can afford. What a terrible thing to put poorer kids through who cannot afford that?!  I wonder if your school cares more for the kids or the teachers?  Something interesting in my life: A surprise on my naked body this morning Come visit my blog to know what I get up to from time to time: [blog 4jasmine2]
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That is so wrong. It is almost bribery...buying the teachers attention given to a child. Teachers here have taken pay cuts in the recent past....but so has almost everyone else except the fat cats. Here in Ireland, since the demise of the Celtic Tiger, there is a great deal of unemployment. It is a struggle for some parents to afford the basic necessities for their children going to school. This includes in most cases a school uniform which prevents children from more affluent families showing off the latest designer clothes. 5 of my grandkids have attended the same school and 2 years ago parents received a letter saying that there were to be NO more gifts given to teachers as some families could not afford it and those children were embarrassed. ~~Anais Nin~~
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Wait. Stop. They are asking parents to kick into a $500 fund for *monthly* presents to the teachers? Um, no. I don't care how affluent an area a person lives in that's robbery. Do I think that *good* teachers deserve better pay and more public recognition that a football player? Yes. But the world is not a fair place and that doesn't happen. Do I think it's nice if the parents chip in and get a little something at the end of the year? Sure. But like you said, you have no idea what someone's financial circumstances are, especially today.
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I am also in the education field--only now higher ed. But at one time, I was an elementary principal in a very well off school district. The PTSA asked parents for about 10$ for the room holiday parties. Teacher gifts were left to individual families. $25 is ridiculously high. Also, on professional development days, teachers organized their own lunches--usually each one brought a different dish from home. No way were parents expected to cook for them. Usually on professional development days, school lunch has to be served before dismissal so teachers ate then since the cafeteria was open. Never ignore those who care for you you will have lost diamonds while you were collecting stones
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This is INSANE. No bloody way would I give so much as a dime for teacher appreciation gifts. If my children were still in school, and wanted to show their appreciation to a teacher, I would them make something handmade, and I would send a card, at the END of the year. What is this world coming to? Check out my profile or and become a "watcher" of my blog FMAOPLS,to learn more about me, and for intelligent, lively, smartassy and fun discussion, with a little irreverence thrown in. "Like" or comment on my photos, and I promise I'll add more. Thanks.
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Wow that does seem pushy and extreme. In the school where I work we are asked to donate to a fund to send cards to staff who have unexpected losses or flowers to someone who is very ill. Our PTSA raises money to support our awards breakfast and end of year picnic for the kids. My salary is about 1/3 that of the average teacher, but I do what I can to help the students by donating notebooks that are on sale at the beginning of the year, markers, and other supplies I can afford to the counselor for kids who can' afford even those basics. Teachers complain about never having enough money in their supply budget and some even apply for grants or ask for community donations to pay for special projects. Parents are not expected to chip in for expensive teacher gifts at all.    
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You have the right to "rant". I would too. Schools sure are different today compared to when I went to school!
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Ok so let me get this straight. The school is suggesting you "donate" money for teacher appreciation to get them gifts? And the teachers starting salary there is approximately $20,000 more then the starting salary here? (Starting pay here for a teacher is $35,000 to $40,000 assuming you can find a full time position). I am in the education field. I would never expect a teacher appreciation gift. Now around here teachers tend to end up spending a lot of money out of their own pockets to pick up some basic classroom supplies. So a collection to help with that I wouldn't be opposed to. Now it would be nice if a bunch of parents would choose on their own to cater a lunch for the staff. But to expect parents to do it. That is crossing a line. Don't get me wrong I work in the school system. Teachers have one of the most important jobs in our society if you ask me (Only trailing Parents, police and the fire department/paramedics). It is an often thankless job. But you cant expect to force parents to thank you for it.
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