Bad tactics in our school district

Sounds like it's time to start a blog about your child's school. Once all of the parents become readers and start participating, you will have the power to put these issues front and center.

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My son is now 18 so I don't have to worry about any decision like that. But when he was younger the stress was terrible. You want to be able to take your kids to all kinds of events and especially the ones that they ask to go to. You want them to be socially well-rounded and you worry if you deny them some sort of live entertainment that they may not have exposure to that particular point of view. But I can obviously see the point. You have other plans, maybe you might not have the money or even just you do not agree with the shows message, but your child has already been, in a way, recruited into the flock. You are being asked, in essence, to deny something to your child. I think that sometimes you just have to live with the guilt and our children have short memories about things like that. So saying no to every show is probably not a good idea, but even saying no to 90% of them is just going to have to be par for the course if this is the strategy that is being used to get people to show up and donate time and money to see something that, most likely, is just another bake sale (fundraiser).

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Hi Richard,

I'm at a big disadvantage, not having actually seen either the "preview" assembly or the evening event. I have no way to decide whether to accept your implication that the "preveiw" had no legitimate educational content, or characterization that it was either meant to or did "manipulate the emotions of the children."

From my own experience involved in our (public) schools, we occasionally has opportunities to schedule visiting authors, poets, artists, musicians, and so on. Sometimes the content or school's or the visitors' schedules made it most advantageous to hold evening or weekend or at the high school, so that the largest number of families could take advantage of one or two "shows." Sometimes we were able to arrange what I fear you'd call teasers in the 5 elemenatary, 2 middle, and one high school on the day of or day before.

I never felt the slightest bit unethical - can't say the question even crossed my mind - about exposing all of the kids to a short reading, or song, or demo, partly to get them the exposure, partly to get the word out to parents, to help make the events successful. Nor about charging a small admission to help defray the cost of bringing such programs to our schools.

Again, I can't comment directly on your case(s), but I don't think a blanket objection to offering small bits of larger programs - making sure all the kids get at least a taste - is valid. As to the advertising or "feeling left out" issues, how different is the "preview" from a simple "announcement" over the audio system, or flyer sent home with the kids to give their parents?

Is it possible that there's something about the content of these programs that is rankling you?

Tom

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Richard, just curious if you have brought your concerns up to the school yet? I usually sit on it for a day or two and then honestly speak my mind on the issue. There are certain forms I refuse to fill out that are not mandated (although the average parent does not know this), I have discussed the Kindergarten bullying issue with the teachers and administratives after I felt they were not doing enough to address it, and I refused to allow my child to participate in a reading program that would have allowed my child to go to a highly overpriced, crowded, popular amuzement park for free (for him that is). Sometimes, I wish I had the means to be able to homeschool my child myself--unfortunately that is not possible at the moment.

Today, I think that most parents have been indoctrinated with advertising for so long that they have become apathetic towards it. As a parent, it is our responsibility and obligation to make the best decisions for our children. We should not have to feel guilty afterwards for deciding to not allow our children to participate in certain activities or buy certain products just because all their friends or classmates are doing so. My family was very poor while I was a child and there are many programs, scholastic book fairs, activities that I did not participate in and I dont see that it made me any of a worse person for not. In fact, in some ways, I think it made me a better person on certain points.

Again, I feel we as parents should not be made to feel guilty for not participating in programs. It is unfortunate that your son is feeling left out because the school chose to advertise a program in this manner. Afterall, we are the ones paying taxes to support our schools. It is in fact OUR school. The problem is being able to find enough parents who will publically voice an opinion that agrees with you.

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Hey Sid,
That may be very true and I can accept that. If so, does acceptance demand that the issue be ignored?

Are you the only complaining paent? I'd guess that most parents have been advertized so long in so many stages of their lives that they see this practice as "the Way of the World." Bring your concerns to a PTA meeting and see what parent reaction is. If you can figure how to poll the parents ewho don't participate in PTA meetings, you may get even more dismal result. For many AMericans the moral line you want to draw may be irrelevant.

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Hi Chas,
To me it has a lot to do with what should be expected from an educational assembly, not "the good animals I need my assistants to show you and they will only be here tonight."

I've had the role of educational administrator responsible for school assemblies, and I can say when it was my responsibility I didn't allow for it.

I'd like the school to teach my son about coercion, but not having it built into the system.

I appreciate your letting know how you see it.

Joanne, thanks for the comment. In the end it was a great learning moment for my son. Much as Chas points out in his comment.

wow...really can't see the problem here. when i was a kid we got little weekly readers during school that the parents then had the option to pay for to be delivered by mail during the summer. we got little scholastic book brochures on a very regular basis hawking books and posters. some kids got them and some didn't. and it sucked when you didn't

let's face it, life is full of previews...sometimes you bite and sometimes you don't. that's a great thing to talk to children about..."we can't do everything."

and feeling left out is also a regular thing that kids (and adults) deal with. it's always an opportunity to talk about life. i'm sure the kids got something of value from the preview, as they will get something of value from the full production.

preview or not, it's impossible to have it all (just spend a few minutes on twitter for a full realization of this fact!). we all miss out on a lot. that's life. it's a hard thing to learn, and it's vital.

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My guess..They will continue with this practice as long as they are allowed to get away with it. I would hope you are not alone in your disgust with the "peek show". Is there some forum at the school, PTA or otherwise, where this issue can be brought up for open discussion/change? I would be on the back of your heels in full support if my child were subject to such distasteful teasing! Also, bravo for explaining the situation to your son, he may suffer in the short term, but (no doubt) will thrive in life!

Hi Allie,
thanks for your participation in this discussion.

Frieda,
I've noticed the ramping up of marketing tactics by Scholastic over the last decade. I've brought them into school's myself and as time goes on I am less and less comfortable with it.

Hi Emma,
We go through all sort hoops to help our son become engaged with the world. Today's assembly taught him that he was missing out and that he had to lobby his parents so he could see what he was missing.

Not much insight into the Rain Forest in that.
As for the poor, they need to settle for the preview. You are absolutely right.

Jeb,
I couldn't agree more.

Tom,
I'm totally against getting parent involvement by manipulating the emotions of children.

So a question, would you go to the movie theater to just see the previews?

If the issue is the parents, deal with the parents, don't coerce children to change parent behavior.

It's par for the course Richard. Yet another way the public school system is indoctrinating our children. So many issues at play here. Advertising. Creating the desire to consume. Encouraging conformity.

I hear what Tom C is saying above, and I get that perspective. But regardless the motives, this tactic is bad business. Could it possibly succeed as a draw for the majority of folks? Sure, just like gimicky advertising succeeds in getting so many people to eat fast food or buy the latest widget and the cool clothes. The ends do not justify the means here in my book, and the unintended consequence of distancing the folks that do invest in all the right ways but are aware enough to be disgusted by something like this is a very heavy price to pay.

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Unfortunately, I do believe this. It's really in bad taste if you ask me. You're right about it being unethical. At the district we were in last semester, before we made the smart move to move, they had previews as well. About everything. It was overwhelming and really made a lot of kids feel bad about not being a part of the action and in support of a "good cause". An example was the scholastic fair. They actually had the kids go in class by class during the day to pick out a stack of books that they wanted their parents to buy them during the next couple of nights. I AM NOT KIDDING! And of course the parents would be there because they chose to hold this event during parent teacher conferences. Smart, sure, but ethical, no. You can imagine how the parents felt as well.

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I absolutely agree that there are ethical boundaries that must not be crossed when it comes to advertising to children.

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Hi CC,

Saw your links and Chris Brogan's on Twitter and came for a look.

While I guess I see your point, here's a thought. When my kids were going through school I was deeply involved in various school committees/activities all the way through. I learned along the way about a lot of research (somewhat embarrassing to educators) that shows over and over there is one factor that predicts the child's success more than any other - whether or not the parents show up and get involved in school activities in the building.

More than dollars spent per kid. More that class size, or enrichment programs, or tutors, or extracurricular activities. Parents in the schoool.

Might it be that your school is trying to figure out ways to induce parents to show up? (Yes, I mean "show up" in a variety of senses.)

Likely such a motive does not apply to you. But I know for certain it applies to a majority of parents.

Even if I'm giving them too much credit, maybe my guess could be a valuable unintended consequence anyway?

I just don't see much downside from getting families to participate in what you seem to agree are worthwhile programs.

Make any sense?

Tom

Would you be willing to pay the five dollars so that your son could see this educational programming during the school day?

Either way, where does this leave the kids in your school district whose parents look at $5 and see the night's meal or tomorrow's lunch?

Public schooling has gotten very exclusive.