Upper case e-mails from parent organizing high school event?

[Anonymous]

So, my teen is in high school and parents are organizing the Homecoming dance. Would you be miffed if another parent sent a group e-mail to parents and for part of the e-mail used all caps? Like, "all parents must report for duty and decorating at such and such time?" The rest of the parents didn't elect this person to be in charge of organizing this event, just to add. I find it really weird to be told/yelled in an e-mail by another parent to do something I never signed up to do at all? There was no option to just donate money, which would make many low key parents happier than donating time. I am not from this culture, so maybe it is a cultural misunderstanding on my part? WDYT?

[Anonymous]

Not at all.

If it's a long email, most parents will never read the half of it and need to pay attention to the crucial points.

I receive all kinds of emails for all kinds of school, music and sport events my children prepare for, and a well-organized email with bullet points and perhaps cautionary sentences in all caps is perfectly within the norm.

[Anonymous]

I'm confused as to why the parents are organizing this and the kids aren't. My DD is in 8th grade and for every dance her school has had, the student gov't plans, organizes, preps and cleans up from them. All I do is show up at school at the end to take DD home since it's dark by then and not safe for her to take the bus home alone.

Why are parents attending this dance? What teen wants to go to a dance with their PARENTS? I wouldn't care about the caps. I'd be confused as to why parents are so involved.

[Anonymous]

No, I would not be mad. Often parents write in bold the most important parts of an email. Some use all caps instead, but I don't think they realize it also means yelling.

[Anonymous]

There are so many things in my life to be miffed about that this wouldn't even resonate...

Careful use of caps is appropriate, and I'm not sure from your description that this exceeds proper use.

[Anonymous]

Nothing bad has happened here. They have done you the group a favor by organizing whatever it is that they are organizing and highlighting the most important parts of the email. Participate or don't. Follow the instructions or don't. But no need to be upset.

[Anonymous]

I would just reply to all.

SORRY, I AM UNABLE TO HANG STREAMERS THIS AFTERNOON. I HAVE TO ATTEND A FUNERAL FOR MY FATHER IN LAW.

No, just kidding. I would just ignore it. The sender just wanted to raise visibility for the email and there is no way to do bold.

[Anonymous]

It is true that some cultures do not have a tradition of parents volunteering at their children's schools, but it is very much part of the culture in the US. Are you here for just a year or two, or here for the long haul? Either way, you might want to give volunteering a try, even if you think you won't like it. Apart from helping the entire school community, it is a good way to meet other parents and make friends. The idea of community is also big in the US, and volunteering helps one to feel more a part of the community.

If you don't want to try it, that's fine, but if you do, you might find it both worthwhile and enjoyable.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for replies. It is true that I don't understand this high school culture at all. My teen has more sports than school and there are more activities with sports and fun than academic learning, imo. It is my choice to get involved or not, I just felt like that I have no choice the way everything is phrased. "You must chaperone the dance..." My kids are in high school, wouldn't it be embarrassing to have a parent at their dance?

[Anonymous]

You haven't had Homecoming yet? And the parents are doing the decorating, not the students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is true that some cultures do not have a tradition of parents volunteering at their children's schools, but it is very much part of the culture in the US. Are you here for just a year or two, or here for the long haul? Either way, you might want to give volunteering a try, even if you think you won't like it. Apart from helping the entire school community, it is a good way to meet other parents and make friends. The idea of community is also big in the US, and volunteering helps one to feel more a part of the community.

If you don't want to try it, that's fine, but if you do, you might find it both worthwhile and enjoyable.

Yes, parents do volunteer at schools in the US.

But other than acting as chaperones, why are parents involved in doing anything, especially organizing, a Homecoming dance?

Homecoming and all other school dances are almost 100% student run. Why would parents be involved in planning and organizing a dance at a high school?

That is just weird and too involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You haven't had Homecoming yet? And the parents are doing the decorating, not the students?

Yes, correct, this Saturday, and yes kids are decorating but most of the work is done by parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You haven't had Homecoming yet? And the parents are doing the decorating, not the students?

Yes, correct, this Saturday, and yes kids are decorating but most of the work is done by parents.

Very odd.

Is this a small private school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You haven't had Homecoming yet? And the parents are doing the decorating, not the students?

Yes, correct, this Saturday, and yes kids are decorating but most of the work is done by parents.

Very odd.

Is this a small private school?

+1 students usually do the bulk of the work, then parents may chaperone, depending on school Usually parents are more involved in Prom, specifically after Prom.

[Anonymous]

OP here. It is a large public school and yes, most of the work is done by parents and cheerleaders. I thought it was unusual that parents are this involved, but I thought it was the same at all school, now I know it isn't. I thought I just didn't know how these things are done here.