Choosing not to be in a parent directory - why or why not?

[Anonymous]

Thoughts on choosing to be excluded or reasons to be included?

[Anonymous]

Opting in makes it easier to find you if someone's kid wants to invite your kid to a party or playdate. I always opt in for that reason. Drives me insane when we want to invite someone over, we don't know the parents, they are not in the directory, and we end up having to ask the teacher or other parents for their contact info.

On the downside, there's always some idiot parent who might try and harvest the directory info to promote their small business, even if it is against school policy. Still, it is a small risk, and I would rather other parents be able to find us for social reasons than opt out because I'm obsessive about privacy.

[Anonymous]

I seem to forget people's names as soon as I meet them, so the directory is helpful to me. On more than one occasion, I've returned from a soccer game or some other event and consulted the directory to remember someone's name.

[Anonymous]

Ifyou opt out, you could be isolating your DC from social contact outside of school.

[Anonymous]

Unless you are a parent of Suri Cruise, I don't see why you would choose to opt out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a parent of Suri Cruise, I don't see why you would choose to opt out.

Funny you should mention it. I have an acquaintance who's kid is in Suri's class. Apparently Katie was at parents night and everyone was trying hard to act like it was totally normal. I bet she's in the directory!

[Anonymous]

I always list us, because the pros outweight the cons. However as a result of listing us over the years with the school I have had the following occur..

1. A few invites to pampered chef type things which are easy to ignore

2. Some well meaning parent using my email to invite us to all to some gathering where everyone hits reply to all to respond and suddenly you open your email to 25 emails all discussing something as simple as meeting at the playground Saturday. They also use "reply to all" to just banter with eachother so you end up opening every email not knowing which email has the info you need.

3. A parent who calls at 10:00pm when your kids and husband are sleeping and it wakes them up. (We have to leave our phone on due to DH's work and emergencies.

These are all minor annoyances and IMO not worthy of leaving your name out.

[Anonymous]

Maybe due to your type of work, such as a prosecutor or psychologist, other than that it's not necessary

[Anonymous]

My main issue is whether the directory is going to be publicly available online or not.

I am a lawyer and many times my clients, opposing counsel or opposing parties look me up on google. I don't have a problem if they are directed to work related stuff, but I don't want them to know my personal phone number, personal email, the name of my child, or the school where they attend.

Of course I would freely give my email or phone number to any parents that I meet and after the first birthday party, most of them get it in a mass email.

[Anonymous]

Most school directories are located in a members-only area of the school website, so everyone would need a password to access the info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most school directories are located in a members-only area of the school website, so everyone would need a password to access the info.

ours are printed on paper.

I used the old elementary directory today (kid is in middle school now) because my son needed to call someone from his class for homework help. It was nice to have the number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a parent of Suri Cruise, I don't see why you would choose to opt out.

Funny you should mention it. I have an acquaintance who's kid is in Suri's class. Apparently Katie was at parents night and everyone was trying hard to act like it was totally normal. I bet she's in the directory!

What language is.suri Learning? Very curious! Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I opt out. I rather not have other parents calling or contacting me. Incidents happen where other parents are all talking and seeking information out on one another. I dislike it. I dislike drama. I also have never had a teacher give our where I live or a phone number to another parent. If my child gets invited to anything, the invite is placed in my child's backpack, how it should be done. I understand I may seem cold to some but I'm not. I just like to keep most of my information private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I opt out. I rather not have other parents calling or contacting me. Incidents happen where other parents are all talking and seeking information out on one another. I dislike it. I dislike drama. I also have never had a teacher give our where I live or a phone number to another parent. If my child gets invited to anything, the invite is placed in my child's backpack, how it should be done. I understand I may seem cold to some but I'm not. I just like to keep most of my information private.

I disagree with the "how it should be done" statement 110%.

OP - I have concerns about privacy, but don't feel that the school directory compromises my privacy. I include street address, phone, and my personal email.

My child has been in a public school for 4 years and I've never been invited to a pampered chef party. I have never received a "sales" call from anyone. But HAVE had a mom call to see if my child would like to come over after school one day...

We do get birthday party invitations through US Mail and also email.

[Anonymous]

You cannot bring an invite to the school unless you are inviting the entire class typically. We have 3 directories around the house plus a printed computer one. Do you all really spend that little time with other parents in the school?