Insane/Ill-Informed/Presumptuous/Entitled Parents

[fdeck]

There were other kids that got the award too not just her, I wrote a letter to the principal I was so steamed.

Here's the letter;

Dear Principal:

I was very pleased when I received the letter informing me that my daughter was chosen to receive the Principal’s Award. It was nice to see that academic achievement was being formally recognized. My daughter had worked hard for her grades and was very proud that she was chosen.

Today I asked my daughter how the award ceremony went. She showed me the beautiful certificate and then your letter explaining why there was not an awards ceremony.

I find it very unsettling that the achievements of students cannot be recognized in a public setting for fear of upsetting those that did not get an award. What message does that send to those that did get the award? That it is nice that they got the award but please don’t speak of it?

What message does that send to the students that did not get an award? Why should they even try to improve if they see that their effort will only be recognized in a furtive manner?
This is just one more example of creating the next generation of mediocrity. Deciding not to recognize these students in a public setting has the same effect that giving everyone a trophy does who participates in a sport whether they have won or lost. Why should our children try to excel when everyone gets the same reward? Where is the incentive to excel when everyone gets the same result? The decision to not publicly recognize has the same effect of not giving out an award in the first place. Or the effect that giving everyone an award would have achieved.

Perhaps we should also stop posting the names of students that make honor roll in the newspaper as well?

I am deeply disappointed that you decided not to publicly recognize these children and feel that the message sent although initially positive, fell short.

Well done. It's also important to remind people that the schools have no problem honoring the students who excel in high school sports. It's a form of anti-intellectualism.

 

[MatticusMania]

Well done. It's also important to remind people that the schools have no problem honoring the students who excel in high school sports. It's a form of anti-intellectualism.

Of course we can take some funding away from the science department... what do they need microscopes for? THE FOOTBALL TEAM NEEDS NEW LEDERHOSEN TO WIN CIF!!!

 

[WalterBush]

Of course we can take some funding away from the science department... what do they need microscopes for? THE FOOTBALL TEAM NEEDS NEW LEDERHOSEN TO WIN CIF!!!

The microscopes are safe until the school is done raiding the art and music departments. For what a tuba costs, you can outfit an awful lot of football players.

 

[McHaven]

The microscopes are safe until the school is done raiding the art and music departments. For what a tuba costs, you can outfit an awful lot of football players.

When I was in marching band we actually had our new sousaphone budget cut for track hurdles. We didn't have a winning track team. That's something I never understood. Why spend that money on non-winning teams? Makes no sense. "Football teams need new equipment to play better!" Yeah, and I need a 2500 dollar bass to be funky.

 

[scorch]

The microscopes are safe until the school is done raiding the art and music departments. For what a tuba costs, you can outfit an awful lot of football players.

What's sad is, I play tuba, this has happened to my school. But on to what I was going to say, from a students perspective we really don't notice most of these things as much as you would think we would, however I do believe that our teachers are much too politically correct, they wouldn't let me send in my letter to the editor to the local newspaper because it criticized the stimulus bill that had just been signed at the time, and that would offend to many people. *sigh*

 

[fdeck]

The microscopes are safe until the school is done raiding the art and music departments. For what a tuba costs, you can outfit an awful lot of football players.

So far, parents in Madison have succeeded in keeping the music programs alive by pointing out that a music class can have more students in it than a regular class. If they get rid of music, they have to hire another teacher. So far as I know there are also studies showing that low-income kids reap the greatest academic benefit from music programs, possibly because the affluent kids are already taking private music lessons.

 

[fdeck]

My hometown ditched its string program. My senior year, they finally decided to dispose of the instruments. The band teacher called me up and asked me if I wanted an upright bass that was headed for the dumpster. That was in 1982. I just played yet another gig with that bass tonight.

 

[Justlearning]

I really believe this...I had my daughter in 1975, and the hospital actually gave me a copy of something called "Children Learn What They Live". I still have it, but it is packed up. Otherwise I would take the time to share it with y'all. I really believe that everything a child learns starts at home...kids are a gift to us. We need to teach them to be kind, responsible (take responsibility for their actions), follow the rules, etc. I taught my daughter (about to turn 35) and I tell my grandson (9) that we all have to follow rules, laws. All our lives there are rules and laws to follow. I am 60 years old, graduated high school in 1967. I can remember 2 girls leaving school because they were pregnant. Now we have day cares in our schools so the kids can bring their kids with them?! I have a problem with this. My parents taught me to do a days work for a days pay, to respect my elders, to respect authority, to follow the law, to help others less fortunate than me. And believe me, we were not rich. My dad (10th grade education) worked 2 jobs so my mom could stay home with me and my sister. I could write volumes about this, but better not. Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[IconBasser]

My hometown ditched its string program. My senior year, they finally decided to dispose of the instruments. The band teacher called me up and asked me if I wanted an upright bass that was headed for the dumpster. That was in 1982. I just played yet another gig with that bass tonight.

now that is a fortuitous circumstance. For you anyway. All things considered, it's a shame that the opportunity to explore music was closed for other kids.