Choir Teacher at a W school takes advantage

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My school's band leader is making a fuss about concert outfits too -- not as bad as this, but requiring video inspections of kids'd outfits ahead of the concern. I am not happy --- this is for beginning band where the kids don't even know how to play instruments yet.

Wow. My kid is a serious musician and plays in a very good audition-based area orchestra, and I've never heard of anything like this. The orchestra has a dress code for what the musicians should wear, and everyone is expected to comply, but there are no specific uniforms or storefronts you must order from. In fact I recently bought my daughter a long black dress from Amazon of all places that fits her perfectly, and it worked really well for a recent concert.

I have an audition-based child as well and at the higher levels, there actually are specific uniforms. Lower levels, no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow - this would not be allowed in FCPS. What about the kids who can't afford that? Or do you not have poor kids in Bethesda?

This is the richest school in the area. I'd hope the PTA helps with those who cannot afford it.

A lot of families fall in between. If your family is living off of say $90k a year in Bethesda, you don’t qualify for anything but also have no spare money.

Very few families making $90K or less except those in subsidized housing. PTA should be purchasing it for those families.

Are you kidding me? We make 80K a year and live in a small house we bought in Bethesda. There is absolutely no way the PTA, of which I am part of, is paying for my kids' dress clothes. I would not want them to. I *can* pay, but for my budget, all this outlay is a little unbalanced compared to my other expenses, and it's not sensitive of the choir teacher of a public school to do this to families. She should be aware that true middle class families like mine just want the most basic costume.

Except for an MCPU or family help or buying 20+ years ago there is no way you could have bought a house in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow - this would not be allowed in FCPS. What about the kids who can't afford that? Or do you not have poor kids in Bethesda?

This is the richest school in the area. I'd hope the PTA helps with those who cannot afford it.

A lot of families fall in between. If your family is living off of say $90k a year in Bethesda, you don’t qualify for anything but also have no spare money.

Very few families making $90K or less except those in subsidized housing. PTA should be purchasing it for those families.

Please bow your head in shame and retreat into the corner.

How many families do you think can live in Bethesda NOW on under $90 without a housing subsidy, living in a basement/room rental/roommates, or lots of family help?

[Anonymous]

When I was in madrigal singers in FCPS years ago, we had to buy formal gowns and have them hemmed professionally, so I understand that, but the additional seems extreme. Concert choir wore robes, and treble I think had to biy identical red skirts but could pair with any white blouse. So, she isn't totally in left field with this, but it does seem extreme to have such expenditures for both. And, a necklace? That seems particularly bizarre. Have you talked to her? I guess principal is a last resort.

[Anonymous]

I agree the expectations for choir attire are over the top. However, the person who is charging $100 to hem a dress is ripping you off. Ask around to get a better deal, or watch a YouTube video on how to hem a skirt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree the expectations for choir attire are over the top. However, the person who is charging $100 to hem a dress is ripping you off. Ask around to get a better deal, or watch a YouTube video on how to hem a skirt.

Depends on the fit but sometimes you can shorten the waist…

[Anonymous]

Maybe learn to hem a dress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello. I feel our choir teacher in our high school in MCPS is out of line in her demands for concert attire for the kids. She has recently requested different black dresses for the Advanced Treble Choir AND another dress for the Chamber Choir.

Well, I am frustrated by the sheer cost of these outfits. Dresses seem to cost over $100.00 and then an extra $100.00 or more to hem. It seems that this teacher thinks the parents’ are her own private ATM. Now she is considering having the parents pay for a necklace for the outfit.

I understand wanting to look nice but why are there not robes? Or why can’t teacher just choose black dress pants and white blouse?

The kids are going to be inspected with their dresses on on Wednesday. And if they don’t meet her standards of hem one inch above the floor , a grade will be deducted.

If this were a really good choir teacher, I might forgive some of this. Her focus is on what they “ look” like vs a high quality choral program. The teacher frequently misses class and has for years.

We don’t like being used as an ATM. It’s crazy Does anyone else find this standard practice in MCPS choirs? How do we deal with this lunacy?

Teachers cannot charge any fees for classes where students are receiving a grade. That's the law in Maryland. There's a lot about this on the Parents' Coalition blog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. What is the attire for other MCPS high school choirs? Would be interested I. Hearing of a large expenditure is asked of the parents.

The biggest problem is the grade deduction tied to dress code infringement. It's not allowed.

Performance clothes cost what they cost, but multiple layers needing hemming is NOT practical and parents can definitely complain. A public school chorus should not have more than one performance uniform.

Finally, the teacher should always add a line in their email about the school helping families in need who cannot afford the special outfit. This is a Bethesda-area school with a well-funded PTA. These schools are ready and able to help, but the teacher has to know how to handle that and not pick something completely over the top in the first place.

Churchill Parent here (not OP) -

Many programs at our school have a similar expectation for financial expenditures except for the requirement tied to a class grade. My child dropped out of band when we were asked to provide financial proof of our financial hardship when we spoke up. It was embarrassing and sucked the interest for my child to continue with band. We experienced the same problem when it came to financial expectations for athletic teams. Parents were expected to pay between $100 to as high as $300 in fees to a team account managed by parents, not the school.

It’s insensitive to set financial requirements so outrageously high and totally unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. What is the attire for other MCPS high school choirs? Would be interested I. Hearing of a large expenditure is asked of the parents.

The biggest problem is the grade deduction tied to dress code infringement. It's not allowed.

Performance clothes cost what they cost, but multiple layers needing hemming is NOT practical and parents can definitely complain. A public school chorus should not have more than one performance uniform.

Finally, the teacher should always add a line in their email about the school helping families in need who cannot afford the special outfit. This is a Bethesda-area school with a well-funded PTA. These schools are ready and able to help, but the teacher has to know how to handle that and not pick something completely over the top in the first place.

Churchill Parent here (not OP) -

Many programs at our school have a similar expectation for financial expenditures except for the requirement tied to a class grade. My child dropped out of band when we were asked to provide financial proof of our financial hardship when we spoke up. It was embarrassing and sucked the interest for my child to continue with band. We experienced the same problem when it came to financial expectations for athletic teams. Parents were expected to pay between $100 to as high as $300 in fees to a team account managed by parents, not the school.

It’s insensitive to set financial requirements so outrageously high and totally unnecessary.

It's not insensitive, it's illegal. The money doesn't even go to the MCPS budget. It's pocketed by the local school principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow - this would not be allowed in FCPS. What about the kids who can't afford that? Or do you not have poor kids in Bethesda?

This is the richest school in the area. I'd hope the PTA helps with those who cannot afford it.

A lot of families fall in between. If your family is living off of say $90k a year in Bethesda, you don’t qualify for anything but also have no spare money.

Very few families making $90K or less except those in subsidized housing. PTA should be purchasing it for those families.

Are you kidding me? We make 80K a year and live in a small house we bought in Bethesda. There is absolutely no way the PTA, of which I am part of, is paying for my kids' dress clothes. I would not want them to. I *can* pay, but for my budget, all this outlay is a little unbalanced compared to my other expenses, and it's not sensitive of the choir teacher of a public school to do this to families. She should be aware that true middle class families like mine just want the most basic costume.

Except for an MCPU or family help or buying 20+ years ago there is no way you could have bought a house in Bethesda.

We’re talking about high school students. We bought our house 18 years ago and most of our neighboring high schoolers have also been here that long.

[Anonymous]

This looks like it would be a great story for the Bethesda beat!

[Anonymous]

Yes, it would be a good story. I am the OP. Parents in “wealthier” areas are being bilked for these outfits - sports too. Not everyone here has this kind of cash to just throw around like this. It’s offensive. One good dress is enough. Also the boys do wear tails at whitman. I mean why is this necessary? Completely over the top. What if a family has multiple kids and just would rather put money towards other things? This sort of thing needs to be stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow - this would not be allowed in FCPS. What about the kids who can't afford that? Or do you not have poor kids in Bethesda?

This is the richest school in the area. I'd hope the PTA helps with those who cannot afford it.

A lot of families fall in between. If your family is living off of say $90k a year in Bethesda, you don’t qualify for anything but also have no spare money.

Very few families making $90K or less except those in subsidized housing. PTA should be purchasing it for those families.

Are you kidding me? We make 80K a year and live in a small house we bought in Bethesda. There is absolutely no way the PTA, of which I am part of, is paying for my kids' dress clothes. I would not want them to. I *can* pay, but for my budget, all this outlay is a little unbalanced compared to my other expenses, and it's not sensitive of the choir teacher of a public school to do this to families. She should be aware that true middle class families like mine just want the most basic costume.

Except for an MCPU or family help or buying 20+ years ago there is no way you could have bought a house in Bethesda.

Hot tip - people with kids in high school did buy houses 20 years ago

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it would be a good story. I am the OP. Parents in “wealthier” areas are being bilked for these outfits - sports too. Not everyone here has this kind of cash to just throw around like this. It’s offensive. One good dress is enough. Also the boys do wear tails at whitman. I mean why is this necessary? Completely over the top. What if a family has multiple kids and just would rather put money towards other things? This sort of thing needs to be stopped.

Sorry, it's not just what you think are wealthier neighborhoods. Illegal class fees are charged at schools all over Montgomery County. Principals love this way of getting easy cash without any oversight. They can use it for lunches, dinners, travel, gifts, whatever they want because there is no oversight over these under the table funds. They are educational extortion and principals love them.