What's the Most Obnoxious Thing You've Heard a Parent Say at Your DC's Private School?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear 18:13,

Thank you for seeking my insight. In my opinion, the person with the poor manners was actually the person who saw fit to mention that an "FA family" was involved. The poster implied that the complaint/criticism about the food was somehow less credible or important because it was lodged by someone of lesser financial means. I must say that I was absolutely horrified by such an implication, because it was so gauche, so crude and so very rude! Might I suggest that the poster improve her manners by reading one of my books?

Sincerely,
Miss Manners

Anonymous wrote:Miss Manners poster, please clarify: is it inappropriate for all parents to relay their children's criticism of a school's food, grounds, course offerings to another parent, or only parents with children receiving FA?

Well played, Miss M (and substantively correct as well).

[Anonymous]

Miss Manners for the win! Well played, ma'am. To anyone who doesn't consider it clear as day that a person advocating for a de facto second-class-citizenry (within the school community) based on FA status is the inappropriate one needs a head examination.

[Anonymous]

I vote that the most obnoxious statement by a private school parent was made on this board by some twit asserting that a parent of a child was rude for noting the poor quality of school food, when the basis for the alleged "rudeness" was that child's position as a recipient of FA and thus the rudeness reflected a lack of appreciation for the gift of financial aid. Or as a later poster noted, the twit accorded the FA recipient second class citizenship within the school community because of the FA.

Gotta love the irony here.

[Anonymous]

Students, here's an analogy to help you understand the manners of complaining about food: If you are somebody's guest at a restaurant, it is not gracious for you to point out that your steak is a bit tough. If you are the host paying for the dinner, you may complain to the waiter, chef, or manager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Students, here's an analogy to help you understand the manners of complaining about food: If you are somebody's guest at a restaurant, it is not gracious for you to point out that your steak is a bit tough. If you are the host paying for the dinner, you may complain to the waiter, chef, or manager.

Get over yourself. You are trying to beat around the bush here. Bottom line is you think that children on financial aid shouldn't have a voice in their school because they don't deserve it. Why don't you come right out and say it. Just own it....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Students, here's an analogy to help you understand the manners of complaining about food: If you are somebody's guest at a restaurant, it is not gracious for you to point out that your steak is a bit tough. If you are the host paying for the dinner, you may complain to the waiter, chef, or manager.

Wow, you continue to stick with the idea that full payers may critique a school but not those on financial aid. I used to think it was a bit paranoid for people to fret about others knowing FA status but your attitude causes me to revise my thinking. I suggest you drop your Lady of the Manor attitude or make very sure to stick to anonymous boards, because most (including school administrators, who value FA as a way to bring great kids to the school) will see YOUR attitude as the obnoxious one. For some instructive reading, pull "Pride and Prejudice" off the shelf and re-read the parts about Mr. Darcy's aunt.

[Anonymous]

Darcy's aunt is Lady Catherine de Bourgh. One of the funniest characters in English lit.

[Anonymous]

If you are a guest at someone's house, you don't complain about the food because that's bad manners. If you are a student or a parent of student at a school, FA or NO FA, you are allowed to complain about INSTITUTIONAL food. It's an American tradition. It's not rude, it's not ingratitude. It's just small talk. I pay full fare and would never dream of thinking it was rude for someone on FA to complain about the food or any other aspect of the school. As far as I am concerned they have every right to complain about any thing in the school including the quality of education their kid is receiving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students, here's an analogy to help you understand the manners of complaining about food: If you are somebody's guest at a restaurant, it is not gracious for you to point out that your steak is a bit tough. If you are the host paying for the dinner, you may complain to the waiter, chef, or manager.

Wow, you continue to stick with the idea that full payers may critique a school but not those on financial aid. I used to think it was a bit paranoid for people to fret about others knowing FA status but your attitude causes me to revise my thinking. I suggest you drop your Lady of the Manor attitude or make very sure to stick to anonymous boards, because most (including school administrators, who value FA as a way to bring great kids to the school) will see YOUR attitude as the obnoxious one. For some instructive reading, pull "Pride and Prejudice" off the shelf and re-read the parts about Mr. Darcy's aunt.

,
8:14 cannot be real. She's a troll or just a cartoon of a person. Not to worry, that scrappy, ambitious, FA family will likely be outpacing 8:14 in the college admissions game and life thereafter. Perhaps "those FA people" will end up owning the proverbial restaurant then. Here's to a delusional, class slipping, and fading PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students, here's an analogy to help you understand the manners of complaining about food: If you are somebody's guest at a restaurant, it is not gracious for you to point out that your steak is a bit tough. If you are the host paying for the dinner, you may complain to the waiter, chef, or manager.

Wow, you continue to stick with the idea that full payers may critique a school but not those on financial aid. I used to think it was a bit paranoid for people to fret about others knowing FA status but your attitude causes me to revise my thinking. I suggest you drop your Lady of the Manor attitude or make very sure to stick to anonymous boards, because most (including school administrators, who value FA as a way to bring great kids to the school) will see YOUR attitude as the obnoxious one. For some instructive reading, pull "Pride and Prejudice" off the shelf and re-read the parts about Mr. Darcy's aunt.

,
8:14 cannot be real. She's a troll or just a cartoon of a person. Not to worry, that scrappy, ambitious, FA family will likely be outpacing 8:14 in the college admissions game and life thereafter. Perhaps "those FA people" will end up owning the proverbial restaurant then. Here's to a delusional, class slipping, and fading PP.

You think owning a restaurant is better than patronizing it? That's funny!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students, here's an analogy to help you understand the manners of complaining about food: If you are somebody's guest at a restaurant, it is not gracious for you to point out that your steak is a bit tough. If you are the host paying for the dinner, you may complain to the waiter, chef, or manager.

Wow, you continue to stick with the idea that full payers may critique a school but not those on financial aid. I used to think it was a bit paranoid for people to fret about others knowing FA status but your attitude causes me to revise my thinking. I suggest you drop your Lady of the Manor attitude or make very sure to stick to anonymous boards, because most (including school administrators, who value FA as a way to bring great kids to the school) will see YOUR attitude as the obnoxious one. For some instructive reading, pull "Pride and Prejudice" off the shelf and re-read the parts about Mr. Darcy's aunt.

,
8:14 cannot be real. She's a troll or just a cartoon of a person. Not to worry, that scrappy, ambitious, FA family will likely be outpacing 8:14 in the college admissions game and life thereafter. Perhaps "those FA people" will end up owning the proverbial restaurant then. Here's to a delusional, class slipping, and fading PP.

You think owning a restaurant is better than patronizing it? That's funny!

The use of the word "proverbial" would seem to suggest that this post was intended as a metaphor. If you are 8:14, the fact that this is lost on you is what is funny (and telling, and foreshadowing).

[Anonymous]

Pity the poor high-and-mighty, full-pay diner. S/he is obviously insecure about his/her own place in the school. FA recipients, in contrast, know they are wanted by the school, and it's not just because they can pay the full tab.

[Anonymous]

People forget that FA recipients pay tuition, too--they pay in proportion to their means.

[Anonymous]

I suppose, while we are at it, we should take away the right to vote from people who collect public assistance, no? We should also not let kids talk about ANYTHING since they don't really pay for anything, right?

Ultimately, shouldn't SCHOOLS be deciding from whom they welcome criticism, being that THEY are the hosts, not other parents? Every school I've worked in has considered all parents on equal ground. If they are not offended by criticism coming from families on FA, why the hell are you? My guess it is comes from a misplace sense of superiority you are desperately trying to hold on to as it becomes more readily apparent that you are superior to no one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students, here's an analogy to help you understand the manners of complaining about food: If you are somebody's guest at a restaurant, it is not gracious for you to point out that your steak is a bit tough. If you are the host paying for the dinner, you may complain to the waiter, chef, or manager.

Wow, you continue to stick with the idea that full payers may critique a school but not those on financial aid. I used to think it was a bit paranoid for people to fret about others knowing FA status but your attitude causes me to revise my thinking. I suggest you drop your Lady of the Manor attitude or make very sure to stick to anonymous boards, because most (including school administrators, who value FA as a way to bring great kids to the school) will see YOUR attitude as the obnoxious one. For some instructive reading, pull "Pride and Prejudice" off the shelf and re-read the parts about Mr. Darcy's aunt.

,
8:14 cannot be real. She's a troll or just a cartoon of a person. Not to worry, that scrappy, ambitious, FA family will likely be outpacing 8:14 in the college admissions game and life thereafter. Perhaps "those FA people" will end up owning the proverbial restaurant then. Here's to a delusional, class slipping, and fading PP.

You think owning a restaurant is better than patronizing it? That's funny!

The use of the word "proverbial" would seem to suggest that this post was intended as a metaphor. If you are 8:14, the fact that this is lost on you is what is funny (and telling, and foreshadowing).

Actually the the poster's use of "proverbial" was inapt, as there is no well-known proverb about owning a restaurant, but I did not address that, thinking that no one would be picking on the poster for that. But now that you mention it, perhaps the poster meant the proverbial shop or store? In any case, I'd rather metaphorically patronize a the metaphorical restaurant than metaphorically own a metaphorical restaurant.