Public School Event Held at Private Swim Club - Is this allowed?

[Anonymous]

My kid attends an MCPS ES that is considered a Focus school. It's a racially and socioeconomically diverse school.

The local, private Swim Club is holding an event this month. Popsicles with teachers/staff. But, you HAVE to be a member or a guest of a member (and pay) to attend.

Swim club memberships cost about $500/family. Event is not being advertised on our ES website. Not advertised on the PTA website. Only posted for members of the Swim Club to see.

What do parents/teachers on here think? Makes me a little uncomfortable, but maybe I'm overly sensitive because of my own background.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid attends an MCPS ES that is considered a Focus school. It's a racially and socioeconomically diverse school.

The local, private Swim Club is holding an event this month. Popsicles with teachers/staff. But, you HAVE to be a member or a guest of a member (and pay) to attend.

Swim club memberships cost about $500/family. Event is not being advertised on our ES website. Not advertised on the PTA website. Only posted for members of the Swim Club to see.

What do parents/teachers on here think? Makes me a little uncomfortable, but maybe I'm overly sensitive because of my own background.

So it doesn’t sound like the school nor the PTA is sponsoring it, so what’s the problem? A private club can hold a private event and invite whoever they want even *gasp* public school teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

It sounds like it’s sponsored by the swim club. No reason there can’t be other meet and greets elsewhere too, but honestly the whole thing sounds like it was arranged by some pretty tone deaf people, and I’m surprised that the teachers and staff are cool with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

But that's not the case. The school is NOT sponsoring it. It's the local pool. The pool can have a party and invite whomever they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

OP here

Yes, our school has a Back to School thing in the fall that everyone can attend. But, it seems like it's meant for students/parents. Have never seen teachers there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

I'm the OP.

Yes, I guess that is my issue. Seems a little 'gross' that only members of the Swim Club can attend. It sounds like they're very deliberately trying to leave out people who can't afford the Swim Club membership. We've got a decent number of lower-income families at our school (of all races, so I don't think it's a race issue) that definitely can't afford to be members. If it's supposed to be for kids to interact with their teachers, then this particular event is leaving out a good percentage of students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

But that's not the case. The school is NOT sponsoring it. It's the local pool. The pool can have a party and invite whomever they want.

Good point. Agree with the other PP who says it was obviously organized by some tone deaf parents.

And, it sounds like there is nothing other parents can do to complain since it's a private club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

I'm the OP.

Yes, I guess that is my issue. Seems a little 'gross' that only members of the Swim Club can attend. It sounds like they're very deliberately trying to leave out people who can't afford the Swim Club membership. We've got a decent number of lower-income families at our school (of all races, so I don't think it's a race issue) that definitely can't afford to be members. If it's supposed to be for kids to interact with their teachers, then this particular event is leaving out a good percentage of students.

It’s insensitive, but if it’s not sponsored by the school, then it’s really nothing more than that. It’s a private party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

I'm the OP.

Yes, I guess that is my issue. Seems a little 'gross' that only members of the Swim Club can attend. It sounds like they're very deliberately trying to leave out people who can't afford the Swim Club membership. We've got a decent number of lower-income families at our school (of all races, so I don't think it's a race issue) that definitely can't afford to be members. If it's supposed to be for kids to interact with their teachers, then this particular event is leaving out a good percentage of students.

Then don’t go. We attended such a school and were middle income and having to do everything to accommodate the poors and it just sucked and a lot of the events sponsored by the school and PTA were just lame.

[Anonymous]

And in reality, the people who are not invited won’t ever even know about the event. It’s only posted for Swim Club members, so ‘the poors’ won’t even know they missed anything I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

I'm the OP.

Yes, I guess that is my issue. Seems a little 'gross' that only members of the Swim Club can attend. It sounds like they're very deliberately trying to leave out people who can't afford the Swim Club membership. We've got a decent number of lower-income families at our school (of all races, so I don't think it's a race issue) that definitely can't afford to be members. If it's supposed to be for kids to interact with their teachers, then this particular event is leaving out a good percentage of students.

Then don’t go. We attended such a school and were middle income and having to do everything to accommodate the poors and it just sucked and a lot of the events sponsored by the school and PTA were just lame.

It sounds like this swim club event may be excluding the middle income families as well as “the poors.” Hopefully those middle income folks are as understanding as you are about non-inclusive events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here from a Title One school. What's wrong with a Back to School popsicle pool party at a swim club for the members/guests of the swim club? If it is in place of an open event held previously for everyone, that is not cool. Does the school host their own BTS event? If not, why not?

The concern is its sponsored by the school for members only so non-member kids cannot attend. Gross.

I'm the OP.

Yes, I guess that is my issue. Seems a little 'gross' that only members of the Swim Club can attend. It sounds like they're very deliberately trying to leave out people who can't afford the Swim Club membership. We've got a decent number of lower-income families at our school (of all races, so I don't think it's a race issue) that definitely can't afford to be members. If it's supposed to be for kids to interact with their teachers, then this particular event is leaving out a good percentage of students.

Then don’t go. We attended such a school and were middle income and having to do everything to accommodate the poors and it just sucked and a lot of the events sponsored by the school and PTA were just lame.

It sounds like this swim club event may be excluding the middle income families as well as “the poors.” Hopefully those middle income folks are as understanding as you are about non-inclusive events.

Yep, that would be fine with me. Not every event can be for every person.

[Anonymous]

Omg they are excluding families that don't like to swim. How dare they.