I would prefer not to characterize my 4th grader as being whored out. Disgraceful choice of words!

Anonymous wrote:The strategy is nasty?? She would be humiliated? Oh come on.

I'm a different poster and I agree that the tactics are completely inappropriate. My daughter was completely freaking out last year (1st grader) when I told her we wouldn't participate. The strategy is to make kids feel ashamed if they don't participate. The fundraiser takes classroom time, and there are announcements over the intercom. It's intrusive and inappropriate. We can and do donate to the PTA every year but what the heck do those kids feel whose families can't afford to donate, when the fundraising is so blatantly a part of the school day like this? It's indecent and totally wrong. It's whoring out our kids to benefit a for-profit company.

Also -- don't send money to the PTA *while* the boosterthon is going on. Make sure to do it before or after the boosterthon is over -- preferably well before or well after -- so that boosterthon doesn't get part of that money anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since primary elections for Board of Education are coming up next week, I emailed all of the candidates to ask their position on these types of fundraisers in schools and whether they would work to ban this kind of fundraiser in MCPS. I will pass along any responses I get to this board, but I highly encourage other parents who are concerned about Boosterthon and other companies with similar fundraising practices to send their own emails. The louder our voice, the more likely that action will be taken.

This is a really good idea. I would love to hear their responses.

So far, I've received positive responses from Michael Ibanez and Jeanette Dixon.

Ibanez said that as a former principal and teacher he dislikes the fundraisers and that "Not only do they take away instructional time, but have no place in schools. The bottom line is that it's hurts the students." He did not say that he would take specific action, though.

Dixon said that she is opposed to these fundraisers and that if elected she would put it on her list of things to investigate.

I haven't heard back from the other candidates yet.

Power is in numbers, so if you're opposed to these fundraisers I highly recommend sending your own emails to the candidates so that they know this is an issue that many parents are concerned about and that the candidates' position on this issue will inform your choice of who to vote for in the primary election.

Thank you for this. I am sending emails right now.

+1

I heard back from Phil Kauffman and Sebastian Johnson as well. I never received a response from Gwendolyn Kimbrough. Kauffman said he believes that school leaders should enforce the MCPS provisions against fundraising during school hours, but didn't say that he would do anything if re-elected to the BOE. Sebastian Johnson said that the practices were concerning to him and that "If elected I will ensure that current regulations on fundraising activities in schools are enforced and that valuable instruction time is not spent on for-profit corporate fundraisers."

Out of all the responses I received, I thought that the one from Jeanette Dixon was the most sincere and seemed like she would be most likely to take action - she mentioned that she got rid of a similar fundraiser when she became principal at White Oak.

You are totally unhinged. Do you really think the BOE should be weighing in on individual school fundraisers like this? These are decisions that should be made at the individual school level. If you don't like them, become a PTA officer, volunteer to run an alternative fundraiser at your school.

Our school just started boosterthon this week too. I can't tell if it's the PTA or school running it. We received a flyer in the backpack but not a word was mentioned on the PTA listserv or Facebook page. We did the online signup only because I didn't want my DS to be the only one not participating (he got a bracelet for signing up) but I explained to him we wouldn't donate. At no time has the school disclosed to parents that Boosterthon keeps a large share of the money. We give a direct donation at the start of every year.

The strategy is nasty?? She would be humiliated? Oh come on.

My kid's school started Boosterthon this week. I now understand how it can raise so much money. Their strategy is indeed nasty. My usually absent-minded daughter came home stressing again and again how important for me to sign up on the first day of the campaign and to make a pledge. she sounded more worried of missing a pledge than missing an exam. I don't think it's right to put so much pressure on a child in order to collect money. I'm against the whole idea but still signed up and made the pledge to avoid DD from being humiliated. A complaint letter will be sent to our PTA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since primary elections for Board of Education are coming up next week, I emailed all of the candidates to ask their position on these types of fundraisers in schools and whether they would work to ban this kind of fundraiser in MCPS. I will pass along any responses I get to this board, but I highly encourage other parents who are concerned about Boosterthon and other companies with similar fundraising practices to send their own emails. The louder our voice, the more likely that action will be taken.

This is a really good idea. I would love to hear their responses.

So far, I've received positive responses from Michael Ibanez and Jeanette Dixon.

Ibanez said that as a former principal and teacher he dislikes the fundraisers and that "Not only do they take away instructional time, but have no place in schools. The bottom line is that it's hurts the students." He did not say that he would take specific action, though.

Dixon said that she is opposed to these fundraisers and that if elected she would put it on her list of things to investigate.

I haven't heard back from the other candidates yet.

Power is in numbers, so if you're opposed to these fundraisers I highly recommend sending your own emails to the candidates so that they know this is an issue that many parents are concerned about and that the candidates' position on this issue will inform your choice of who to vote for in the primary election.

Thank you for this. I am sending emails right now.

+1

I heard back from Phil Kauffman and Sebastian Johnson as well. I never received a response from Gwendolyn Kimbrough. Kauffman said he believes that school leaders should enforce the MCPS provisions against fundraising during school hours, but didn't say that he would do anything if re-elected to the BOE. Sebastian Johnson said that the practices were concerning to him and that "If elected I will ensure that current regulations on fundraising activities in schools are enforced and that valuable instruction time is not spent on for-profit corporate fundraisers."

Out of all the responses I received, I thought that the one from Jeanette Dixon was the most sincere and seemed like she would be most likely to take action - she mentioned that she got rid of a similar fundraiser when she became principal at White Oak.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since primary elections for Board of Education are coming up next week, I emailed all of the candidates to ask their position on these types of fundraisers in schools and whether they would work to ban this kind of fundraiser in MCPS. I will pass along any responses I get to this board, but I highly encourage other parents who are concerned about Boosterthon and other companies with similar fundraising practices to send their own emails. The louder our voice, the more likely that action will be taken.

This is a really good idea. I would love to hear their responses.

So far, I've received positive responses from Michael Ibanez and Jeanette Dixon.

Ibanez said that as a former principal and teacher he dislikes the fundraisers and that "Not only do they take away instructional time, but have no place in schools. The bottom line is that it's hurts the students." He did not say that he would take specific action, though.

Dixon said that she is opposed to these fundraisers and that if elected she would put it on her list of things to investigate.

I haven't heard back from the other candidates yet.

Power is in numbers, so if you're opposed to these fundraisers I highly recommend sending your own emails to the candidates so that they know this is an issue that many parents are concerned about and that the candidates' position on this issue will inform your choice of who to vote for in the primary election.

Thank you for this. I am sending emails right now.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since primary elections for Board of Education are coming up next week, I emailed all of the candidates to ask their position on these types of fundraisers in schools and whether they would work to ban this kind of fundraiser in MCPS. I will pass along any responses I get to this board, but I highly encourage other parents who are concerned about Boosterthon and other companies with similar fundraising practices to send their own emails. The louder our voice, the more likely that action will be taken.

This is a really good idea. I would love to hear their responses.

So far, I've received positive responses from Michael Ibanez and Jeanette Dixon.

Ibanez said that as a former principal and teacher he dislikes the fundraisers and that "Not only do they take away instructional time, but have no place in schools. The bottom line is that it's hurts the students." He did not say that he would take specific action, though.

Dixon said that she is opposed to these fundraisers and that if elected she would put it on her list of things to investigate.

I haven't heard back from the other candidates yet.

Power is in numbers, so if you're opposed to these fundraisers I highly recommend sending your own emails to the candidates so that they know this is an issue that many parents are concerned about and that the candidates' position on this issue will inform your choice of who to vote for in the primary election.

Thank you for this. I am sending emails right now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since primary elections for Board of Education are coming up next week, I emailed all of the candidates to ask their position on these types of fundraisers in schools and whether they would work to ban this kind of fundraiser in MCPS. I will pass along any responses I get to this board, but I highly encourage other parents who are concerned about Boosterthon and other companies with similar fundraising practices to send their own emails. The louder our voice, the more likely that action will be taken.

This is a really good idea. I would love to hear their responses.

So far, I've received positive responses from Michael Ibanez and Jeanette Dixon.

Ibanez said that as a former principal and teacher he dislikes the fundraisers and that "Not only do they take away instructional time, but have no place in schools. The bottom line is that it's hurts the students." He did not say that he would take specific action, though.

Dixon said that she is opposed to these fundraisers and that if elected she would put it on her list of things to investigate.

I haven't heard back from the other candidates yet.

Power is in numbers, so if you're opposed to these fundraisers I highly recommend sending your own emails to the candidates so that they know this is an issue that many parents are concerned about and that the candidates' position on this issue will inform your choice of who to vote for in the primary election.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why Ritchie Park is holding the run on take your child to work day. It is almost like they decided, fine, we will hold the fundraiser but we will pick a day when we know 50% of the school is absent? Makes no sense.

The kids running in the fun run does not matter. It is the $$ they are concerned about.

but the pledges come in based on how many laps the kids run. If the kids don't run...no money.

People can donate a flat amount that is not dependent on kids running anything. A better idea if your child is participating so they don't feel obligated to run 30 laps (the recommended amount) and potentially hurt themselves.

So first we need to blindly donate not knowing how much actually goes to the school

Then we need to do flat donations so we don't have to be there to run for Boosterthon to rape our wallets .

Lastly, our kids should be begging for money AND also asking for flat donations instead, so to not do the 30 simple laps (about 200 yards each) because they might get hurt?


Just WOW

Yeah, because fundraisers are more important for the BOE to spend time on than real issues, like overcrowding, infrastructure improvements and ensuring teachers are fairly compensated.

Anonymous wrote:Since primary elections for Board of Education are coming up next week, I emailed all of the candidates to ask their position on these types of fundraisers in schools and whether they would work to ban this kind of fundraiser in MCPS. I will pass along any responses I get to this board, but I highly encourage other parents who are concerned about Boosterthon and other companies with similar fundraising practices to send their own emails. The louder our voice, the more likely that action will be taken.

This is a really good idea. I would love to hear their responses.

Since primary elections for Board of Education are coming up next week, I emailed all of the candidates to ask their position on these types of fundraisers in schools and whether they would work to ban this kind of fundraiser in MCPS. I will pass along any responses I get to this board, but I highly encourage other parents who are concerned about Boosterthon and other companies with similar fundraising practices to send their own emails. The louder our voice, the more likely that action will be taken.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why Ritchie Park is holding the run on take your child to work day. It is almost like they decided, fine, we will hold the fundraiser but we will pick a day when we know 50% of the school is absent? Makes no sense.

The kids running in the fun run does not matter. It is the $$ they are concerned about.

but the pledges come in based on how many laps the kids run. If the kids don't run...no money.

People can donate a flat amount that is not dependent on kids running anything. A better idea if your child is participating so they don't feel obligated to run 30 laps (the recommended amount) and potentially hurt themselves.