Thursday, November 19, 2009

School Fundraising Project Comes Under Fire

It was supposed to be a fundraiser to help the school generate some much needed money for supplies:

Rosewood Middle School price list

♦A $20 donation buys 10-point credits to be used on two tests of the student's choice.

♦A $30 donation buys the test points and admission to a 5th-period dance.

♦A $60 donation buys students test points, the dance invitation, and a "special 30-minute lunch period with pizza, drink and the choice to invite one friend to join them."

♦Photo ops with Rosewood principal Susie Shepherd, the vice principal, and a home room teacher go for $75. The photos will be posted on a school bulletin board and on the school's Web site.

The Principal thought it was a good idea when it was recommended to her by the parent advisory council but District School Administrators had the last say and nixed the idea. Some said exchanging grades for money teaches children the wrong lessons. It is also a bad testing practice and is unfair to students whose parents can't pay.

But some parents were willing to pay to help the school raise some much needed funds because last year's fundraising efforts of selling chocolates didn't raise one dime.

So what do you think? Would you pay to help your child earn extra credit in school--especially if they really needed it?

3 comments:

Eileen Williams said...

Boy, Beverly, you present a real tricky question. In truth, I'm not sure how I feel about that one. On the one hand, the school needs the money. But on the other, I would be against buying points that would influence grades--to me, it does send the wrong message to children. I'll be checking back to see what other folks think.

Sire said...

I would pay if it would go to my child getting more help in the subjects he was having problems with. I wouldn't pay just so he got extra credits. That sure wouldn't help his scholarly needs.

rosie said...

I would pay for tutoring if it was a college student that also needed the money. But I would not pay for extra credit.

Passing the Torch from Baby Boomers to Millennials to Gen Z

Whether baby boomers can accept it or not, a changing of the guard has taken place with  millennials and the up and coming Gen Z generations...