September 8, 2009 - Page 7

Richard · 11-01-2009, 09:34

Interesting follow-up from a teacher:

A speech that encourages staying in school is seen as indoctrination, but it's OK to lure sixth-graders into selling magazines – with offers of skipping school?

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

Quote:

Schools Shun Obama Yet Let Sales Firms Prey On Students
Betty Buehler, CSM, 30 Oct 2009

"OK, sixth graders, scream!"

And, oh, do they, sending one teacher toward the exit covering her ears.

Who owns the sixth graders' attention during this period, just days after untold school districts, bowing to parental pressure, refused to broadcast President Obama's talk telling students to take responsibility for themselves and their education?

Let's just say that you won't be reading this in Time magazine, since Time Inc. owns fundraising company QSP, which is visiting our school today.

The screaming is the opening to the annual school fundraiser assembly, kicking off a couple of weeks of good, capitalist behavior by our country's youngest army of salespeople.

They will be rewarded for their efforts with prizes: The baby hoodie keychain/cellphone/music player holder is the teeny starter, with an electric guitar, iPod touch, or $250-dollar American Express card at the other end, for those who can outsell the rest.

Even better? Students who sell fast will be entered into a drawing, their names being placed into the money machine, a chamber with air blowing money around. Keep what you catch.

QSP hires the bubbliest, most cheerful motivators in order to get the kids pumped up about selling! Presented in a tone of voice with ever-more exclamation points!!!

As a teacher witnessing this spectacle, I'm not quite as enthusiastic as either the presenter or students, but I find some entertainment value in the show.

The administrators are wearing jester hats, complete with bells. One reward for students will be to duct tape the dean to a school wall. Another is for the students themselves to come up with a suitable fate for another administrator.

Thankfully, somebody must have thought better of what was done in the past, creating a "human ice cream sundae" out of this administrator, with, yes, real ice cream and toppings, the administrator sporting goggles – in a school where many students receive free meals because their parents struggle to feed them.

Time Inc. can breach the school walls to talk to kids, but the president of the United States cannot.

If it's about money, what gives?

The fundraiser brings in thousands per year for the school, yes, so you can't blame cash-strapped schools for going along with it. But the US government also provides thousands per year to schools like this, without exploiting the labor of children to do so.

Yet in my school a message was sent to teachers that, though not forbidding the showing of the president's speech, did suggest to any teacher reading between the lines that playing this speech was discouraged, and anyone wishing to do so would have to jump through hoops.

The implication?

If you do this, it could be a big pain in the neck for us. It seems that private business trumps the government, no matter how much money the government dishes out.

Private employee to captive students: "Who's ready for more prizes?!"

President of the United States to students, many of whom are not allowed to listen:

"I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you...."

Private employee: "How many of you would like to get out of school for a show?" (The motivator describes a BMX show that will come to the school for certain sales numbers.) "The top 25 sellers of the school will sit in a special VIP section and get autographs."

President: "But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities."

Private employee: "Who wants to get out of school ... and ride in a limo?! YAY!" The kids scream madly. (Top-selling kids get a lunchtime limo ride to a pizza place.)

President: "[S]how up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents, and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed."

What was the biggest fuss about the presidential speech?

Not the speech itself, but a lesson plan that suggested (not demanded) that teachers could ask the students to write about how they could help the president out. This was blasted as propaganda, force-feeding ideology to children.

Compare that to, "We are asking you to have your mom or your dad, your grandma or grandpa help us out by taking this [catalog of sales items] to work" or, "You can order online and get an Internet ID number."

And I, too, want to scream, loudly.

Betty Buehler has taught sixth-grade writing in Las Vegas since 2001.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1030/p09s01-coop.html

**Pete** · 11-01-2009, 10:05

Interesting story as I had the older children in public school and have opted for private school for the younger one.

Public schools have fund raisers and other fees that are "off the books" and it's damn hard to find where the money went.

Had to have the right lock for your locker and buy it from the school $10. School ID $5. If either is lost you buy a new one at full price. Parking lot sticker - drove the kids to school 98% of the time but for the other 2% - $20. $15 up front at the start of the year x 400 students = $6,000. Add in the 40 or so cars with stickers and you're up to around $6,800.

Add in the straight fund raisers by the students and we're into big bucks.

Where did it all go? Good luck finding out.

Oh, got a school trip for your kids - pay that fee or hold a special fund raiser.

Ret10Echo · 11-01-2009, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete

Interesting story as I had the older children in public school and have opted for private school for the younger one.

Public schools have fund raisers and other fees that are "off the books" and it's damn hard to find where the money went.

Had to have the right lock for your locker and buy it from the school $10. School ID $5. If either is lost you buy a new one at full price. Parking lot sticker - drove the kids to school 98% of the time but for the other 2% - $20. $15 up front at the start of the year x 400 students = $6,000. Add in the 40 or so cars with stickers and you're up to around $6,800.

Add in the straight fund raisers by the students and we're into big bucks.

Where did it all go? Good luck finding out.

Oh, got a school trip for your kids - pay that fee or hold a special fund raiser.

Agree Pete...nickle-and-dimed through the year (actually fin-and-sawbucked)..

$5 - ID
$5 - Planner
$10 - Parking pass
$100(+) - Calculator

And then try being on a sports team...my child is on two..which equates to multiple fund raisers and stints working the concession stand through the year. The kids seem to buy new uniforms every year.....

Richard · 09-16-2010, 08:52

What a difference a year makes in the never-ending news cycle. The Fox News article is - I think - a pretty fair summary of the overall issue today.

Some districts leave the decision up to the individual schools.
Some districts show the speech.
All the districts offer families the ability to opt out if parents don't want their kids to watch the speech.

Richard

Some Colorado Schools Will Not Air President Obama's Speech
FOXNews, 13 Sep 2010

http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-obama-...0,719925.story

The President's Back to School Speech: "We Not Only Reach For Our Own Dreams, We Help Others Do the Same"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/...-others-do-sam

Remarks by the President in Back to School Speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
14 Sep 2010

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-...a-pennsylvania

ZonieDiver · 09-16-2010, 09:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

What a difference a year makes in the never-ending news cycle. The Fox News article is - I think - a pretty fair summary of the overall issue today.

Some districts leave the decision up to the individual schools.
Some districts show the speech.
All the districts offer families the ability to opt out if parents don't want their kids to watch the speech.

Richard

Some Colorado Schools Will Not Air President Obama's Speech
FOXNews, 13 Sep 2010

http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-obama-...0,719925.story

The President's Back to School Speech: "We Not Only Reach For Our Own Dreams, We Help Others Do the Same"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/...-others-do-sam

Remarks by the President in Back to School Speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
14 Sep 2010

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-...a-pennsylvania

As far as I know, nothing of substance was done at my school, or district, with the President's speech. Heck, even my evening school colleague didn't show it, and she is as liberal - and dumb - as they come.

Of course, we have been back at work for a month and a half, and it is a little bit late for a "back to school" speech.

Sigaba · 09-16-2010, 09:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete

Parking lot sticker - drove the kids to school 98% of the time but for the other 2% - $20. $15 up front at the start of the year x 400 students = $6,000. Add in the 40 or so cars with stickers and you're up to around $6,800.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ret10Echo

Agree Pete...nickle-and-dimed through the year (actually fin-and-sawbucked)..

$10 - Parking pass

Those rates are unreasonably low. I'd ask for an audit to find out: (a) how those rates were determined, (b) the processes and procedures for collecting and tracking the fees, and (c) exactly where the fees go.

My $0.02.

Paslode · 09-16-2010, 09:59

Maybe I have just forgot, but I don't ever remember a yearly back to school speech from the POTUS while I was in school, nor when my older daughter was in school.

It is a mute point (though I don't like the idea of him peddling his goods to my kids), neither of my daughters cares for Obama, the youngest thinks he is evil and my day dreamer son is more interested in modeling knife sharpeners from Lego's and building a bow & arrow from limbs in the yard.

I am sure in the near future it will be grounds for re-education....

Ret10Echo · 09-16-2010, 11:11

This time around, the school simply robo-called the house "reminding" parents of the awesome opportunity... Otherwise it was a major non-event. Probably a direct reflection of the poll numbers.

Sigaba, I have thought about asking the "where does it go" question, but I look at it as more of a method of CYA oversight for the school. Parents are required to sign the form for the student to receive a parking pass. Students have to pay so there is a mild disincentive for some. Otherwise I assume it goes into the slush-fund somewhere.