Jamestown bans decorating student lockers

[Anonymous]

The OP I believe made the statement that it is "absolutely arbitrary because it was a long standing tradition"....not sure how getting rid of a long standing tradition for a reason, means it is arbitrary and or a wrong decision (as OP seems to be implying).

Some traditions are simply bad traditions.

Thus far the OP has yet to post if they simply asked Jamestown admin, "why did you decide to do this?"

That might actually result in a response.

I assume it was due to: a) disruptions b) some kids have parents who either can't do this, or prefer keeping the celebration at home c) the janitors were tired of the additional clean up that might ensue or d) just like parties that evolved from a few fun games like pin the tail on the donkey to 40 dollar per kid extravagent events, perhaps simple decorations like a taped on "happy birthday" evolved into elaborate design schemes on the lockers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't like this because invariably there will be children who never get their lockers decorated, and those children will feel left out. And for some of those children it won't really matter much (because their parents shower attention on them in other ways), but for a few it will matter because they never get that kind of attention, and this will be just one more way they see that they get the short end of the stick in life. Since there are absolutely no downsides to discontinuing this practice, why not stop it if it makes even just a few children feel bad?

Yep - this would have been me. Just another lesson in being ignored.

[Anonymous]

There are some moms out there right now reading this thread and starting to plan for their kids birthday...

I'm in the wierd/please just stop camp.

[Anonymous]

see, the lovely thing about having a child is that you also (hopefully) have a home. That home has....doors. You can decorate your kids door at home to your heart's content. But really, coming to school to decorate your kids locker is just showing off. Lots of people either don't have the time or the interest to do this. It's also a disruption and may well be a fire-code issue. Just freaking ask if you want to know. And then CTFD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:see, the lovely thing about having a child is that you also (hopefully) have a home. That home has....doors. You can decorate your kids door at home to your heart's content. But really, coming to school to decorate your kids locker is just showing off. Lots of people either don't have the time or the interest to do this. It's also a disruption and may well be a fire-code issue. Just freaking ask if you want to know. And then CTFD.

Well said. I agree completely (except for "CTFD" because I don't know what that stands for.)

[Anonymous]

CTFD = calm the fuck down

[Anonymous]

It's clear that it was causing some kind of friction in the school. The principal made a call to stop it. It's the principal's school. Accept it and move on. It may not seem like a big deal to you and the decision seems "arbitrary" but it was a big deal to someone.

Let it go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The OP I believe made the statement that it is "absolutely arbitrary because it was a long standing tradition"....not sure how getting rid of a long standing tradition for a reason, means it is arbitrary and or a wrong decision (as OP seems to be implying).

Some traditions are simply bad traditions.

Thus far the OP has yet to post if they simply asked Jamestown admin, "why did you decide to do this?"

That might actually result in a response.

I assume it was due to: a) disruptions b) some kids have parents who either can't do this, or prefer keeping the celebration at home c) the janitors were tired of the additional clean up that might ensue or d) just like parties that evolved from a few fun games like pin the tail on the donkey to 40 dollar per kid extravagent events, perhaps simple decorations like a taped on "happy birthday" evolved into elaborate design schemes on the lockers.

That's only because the edict came in the form of an e-mail newsletter received late Friday night. I'm dying to know the answer, however, so I do plan to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's clear that it was causing some kind of friction in the school. The principal made a call to stop it. It's the principal's school. Accept it and move on. It may not seem like a big deal to you and the decision seems "arbitrary" but it was a big deal to someone.

Let it go.

So your theory is another parent went crying to the principal because some other mommy was showing off? Wow. that would be fun.

[Anonymous]

I also think it's a security issue. I think we should limit the amount of time adults who don't work at the school spend roaming the halls. In OP's defense, maybe she came to the school after the tradition was established and saw it as a nice, the school is a family thing rather than a way to show off. If your kids enjoy a tradition and it's taken away, I can see being initially upset. So while I understand why it should be discontinued, I wouldn't bash OP's motives or the fact that she was upset. Based on her later post, she had just heard on Friday and so has to wait until Monday to ask the school directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't like this because invariably there will be children who never get their lockers decorated, and those children will feel left out. And for some of those children it won't really matter much (because their parents shower attention on them in other ways), but for a few it will matter because they never get that kind of attention, and this will be just one more way they see that they get the short end of the stick in life. Since there are absolutely no downsides to discontinuing this practice, why not stop it if it makes even just a few children feel bad?

Agree 100%. My kids go to school in S Arlington and I've never heard of this locker decorating nonsense. I used to be a teacher and I know if this was a tradition at my school if find it obnoxious and disruptive. Knowing moms in N Arl I bet it's also a big competition.

[Anonymous]

It very well could be fire code if the decorations are on the outside of the locker. I know Fairfax County fire marshals are very strict about displays. As a classroom teacher I can't put anything on the door, nothing can be suspended from the ceiling, hallway displays cannot be 3D, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't like this because invariably there will be children who never get their lockers decorated, and those children will feel left out. And for some of those children it won't really matter much (because their parents shower attention on them in other ways), but for a few it will matter because they never get that kind of attention, and this will be just one more way they see that they get the short end of the stick in life. Since there are absolutely no downsides to discontinuing this practice, why not stop it if it makes even just a few children feel bad?

Agree 100%. My kids go to school in S Arlington and I've never heard of this locker decorating nonsense. I used to be a teacher and I know if this was a tradition at my school if find it obnoxious and disruptive. Knowing moms in N Arl I bet it's also a big competition.

And how many moms in N Arlington do you know, and what would possibly possess you to make this remark?

[Anonymous]

As a N.Arl SAHM, I'm perfectly fine with telling parents not to decorate their kids lockers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't like this because invariably there will be children who never get their lockers decorated, and those children will feel left out. And for some of those children it won't really matter much (because their parents shower attention on them in other ways), but for a few it will matter because they never get that kind of attention, and this will be just one more way they see that they get the short end of the stick in life. Since there are absolutely no downsides to discontinuing this practice, why not stop it if it makes even just a few children feel bad?

Agree 100%. My kids go to school in S Arlington and I've never heard of this locker decorating nonsense. I used to be a teacher and I know if this was a tradition at my school if find it obnoxious and disruptive. Knowing moms in N Arl I bet it's also a big competition.

And how many moms in N Arlington do you know, and what would possibly possess you to make this remark?

A heck of a lot. We used to do the Lee Center playgroup as well as multiple other classes in N Arl and the moms are competitive and judgy. It's one of the reasons we moved to S. Arl.