Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still stand by my very unfortunate discovery that there isn’t much for a UMC family in a high farms school.

What do you want there to be?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still stand by my very unfortunate discovery that there isn’t much for a UMC family in a high farms school.

What do you want there to be?

NP here, I'd want:

- quality integrated STEAM program with robotics
- language programs other than Spanish
-body movement and coordination programs
- Cooking
- Dancing, singing, theatre
- chess or scrabble
- Gardening

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still stand by my very unfortunate discovery that there isn’t much for a UMC family in a high farms school.

What do you want there to be?

Anonymous wrote:I still stand by my very unfortunate discovery that there isn’t much for a UMC family in a high farms school.

I'm curious - what high quality extracurriculars from which vendors in particular would you want to see in your school? Specific company and program. What is stopping you from being the after-school activities coordinator at your school and bringing in those particular vendors and requiring them to offer scholarships to lower income students at your school? I ask this as someone who has managed after-school activities at my child's school for many years and walk the walk.


I tried to be the coordinator. The problem was that the principal wanted to pay for all the kids enrolled into an activity. He wasn’t sure which activity he wanted (probably one sport and one stem activity).
I didn’t get to the stage of talking to vendors, but I am not sure they would have been interested since not many kids would sign up.
Also, I would have to do all the scheduling and coordinating, whereas at the new low farms school there is a whole committee that does it (and I am not even enrolling my child anymore since he is at an offsite aftercare).
It is so much easier when you are not shouldering the whole burden.

Anonymous wrote:I still stand by my very unfortunate discovery that there isn’t much for a UMC family in a high farms school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not White. I am educated, middle class and very involved with the PTA at our high FARMS school. I have found that I can work to bring opportunities to the school only through the PTA framework. The school will not allow any other way as a parent I can be involved. Infact, they will create roadblocks. However, once I am working as a PTA person, the school knows that they cannot put in roadblocks. As long as I am bringing enrichment opportunities to the school that are appropriate, accessible and equitable, and I raise the funds for those programs the school cannot stop me.
And yes, the school will get their pound of flesh by making us do the staff appreciation events and other community events that furthers the Principal's agenda as well, before they give us access to the community etc. It is positioned as a mutual scratching of backs, instead the volunteers are used to the full extent by the school. The burnout rate for PTA office holders is huge. It is a thankless job for no personal gain.

I am the “been there” parent. Even if I wanted to advocate for my child, I would have had a very hard time doing so.
Afterschool stuff needs to be affordable for all, and appealing to many. Unless of course I want to run a club myself.
There were levels in English language and arts, but the range of abilities was much broader than the 3 levels. So my child was not too challenged.
There were free afterschool activities but NOTHING for lower grades except art (where 30 kids K-5 sat together and the full price was $15/class, no thanks)

There is nothing really useful in this system for a child whose parents can afford paying for high quality extracurriculars.
But yes, lower income kids get free access to activities often organized by higher income parents. It’s a one way street, unfortunately.

I'm curious - what high quality extracurriculars from which vendors in particular would you want to see in your school? Specific company and program. What is stopping you from being the after-school activities coordinator at your school and bringing in those particular vendors and requiring them to offer scholarships to lower income students at your school? I ask this as someone who has managed after-school activities at my child's school for many years and walk the walk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not White. I am educated, middle class and very involved with the PTA at our high FARMS school. I have found that I can work to bring opportunities to the school only through the PTA framework. The school will not allow any other way as a parent I can be involved. Infact, they will create roadblocks. However, once I am working as a PTA person, the school knows that they cannot put in roadblocks. As long as I am bringing enrichment opportunities to the school that are appropriate, accessible and equitable, and I raise the funds for those programs the school cannot stop me.
And yes, the school will get their pound of flesh by making us do the staff appreciation events and other community events that furthers the Principal's agenda as well, before they give us access to the community etc. It is positioned as a mutual scratching of backs, instead the volunteers are used to the full extent by the school. The burnout rate for PTA office holders is huge. It is a thankless job for no personal gain.

I am the “been there” parent. Even if I wanted to advocate for my child, I would have had a very hard time doing so.
Afterschool stuff needs to be affordable for all, and appealing to many. Unless of course I want to run a club myself.
There were levels in English language and arts, but the range of abilities was much broader than the 3 levels. So my child was not too challenged.
There were free afterschool activities but NOTHING for lower grades except art (where 30 kids K-5 sat together and the full price was $15/class, no thanks)

There is nothing really useful in this system for a child whose parents can afford paying for high quality extracurriculars.
But yes, lower income kids get free access to activities often organized by higher income parents. It’s a one way street, unfortunately.

I'm curious - what high quality extracurriculars from which vendors in particular would you want to see in your school? Specific company and program. What is stopping you from being the after-school activities coordinator at your school and bringing in those particular vendors and requiring them to offer scholarships to lower income students at your school? I ask this as someone who has managed after-school activities at my child's school for many years and walk the walk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not White. I am educated, middle class and very involved with the PTA at our high FARMS school. I have found that I can work to bring opportunities to the school only through the PTA framework. The school will not allow any other way as a parent I can be involved. Infact, they will create roadblocks. However, once I am working as a PTA person, the school knows that they cannot put in roadblocks. As long as I am bringing enrichment opportunities to the school that are appropriate, accessible and equitable, and I raise the funds for those programs the school cannot stop me.
And yes, the school will get their pound of flesh by making us do the staff appreciation events and other community events that furthers the Principal's agenda as well, before they give us access to the community etc. It is positioned as a mutual scratching of backs, instead the volunteers are used to the full extent by the school. The burnout rate for PTA office holders is huge. It is a thankless job for no personal gain.

I am the “been there” parent. Even if I wanted to advocate for my child, I would have had a very hard time doing so.
Afterschool stuff needs to be affordable for all, and appealing to many. Unless of course I want to run a club myself.
There were levels in English language and arts, but the range of abilities was much broader than the 3 levels. So my child was not too challenged.
There were free afterschool activities but NOTHING for lower grades except art (where 30 kids K-5 sat together and the full price was $15/class, no thanks)

There is nothing really useful in this system for a child whose parents can afford paying for high quality extracurriculars.
But yes, lower income kids get free access to activities often organized by higher income parents. It’s a one way street, unfortunately.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Farms and ESOL parents might participate if their kids’ free stuff depends on it... maybe.

Lol. "Sorry Larla, you don't get breakfast today because your mom didn't volunteer for the zoo field trip." Do you have any idea how ridiculous and cold hearted you sound??

That's extreme... A more likely scenario is "We had to make a decision between letting the STEM teacher or the ESOL teacher go. And Larla, since your parents really have not been involved in any school activities and have not made an effort to advocate for the ESOL teacher, he is gone"

Is this a joke? I sincerely hope so. If not you’re a seriously misguided and uninformed individual.

Anonymous wrote:I am not White. I am educated, middle class and very involved with the PTA at our high FARMS school. I have found that I can work to bring opportunities to the school only through the PTA framework. The school will not allow any other way as a parent I can be involved. Infact, they will create roadblocks. However, once I am working as a PTA person, the school knows that they cannot put in roadblocks. As long as I am bringing enrichment opportunities to the school that are appropriate, accessible and equitable, and I raise the funds for those programs the school cannot stop me.
And yes, the school will get their pound of flesh by making us do the staff appreciation events and other community events that furthers the Principal's agenda as well, before they give us access to the community etc. It is positioned as a mutual scratching of backs, instead the volunteers are used to the full extent by the school. The burnout rate for PTA office holders is huge. It is a thankless job for no personal gain.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So this is what I don’t understand. They travel thousands of miles to come here to escape a toxic culture in their home country only to continue to live by this toxic culture here in the US? I’m sorry for their struggle but heck, they sky has just opened up for them with opportunities galore! Why continue to live defeated lives when they have attained freedom? Let’s empower them and challenge them to live better lives. I have been where they have been and it angers me to see them waste opportunities. They might as well have stayed put in their home country. Sorry to anyone I offend but it offends me when immigrants waste their freedom because there are so many others who couldn’t make it here that would’ve loved these opportunities.

This statement is so laughable. We are talking about PTA participation for crying out loud. What makes you think that their disinterest in it is a sign of being defeated. Trust me, for them, coming to this country, being able to live here is priceless. The fact that their kids are getting a US education so that they can have better lives than them is the ultimate dream. They don't see it as toxic at all. They could care less about PTA meetings.

Neither of you guys understand immigrants.

We come here, mostly because of we can earn more money here. That's it. Culture? Sky opening up? Priceless? US education?
What are you talking about? You really think everything is heaven here compared to other countries?

So you are affirming the assertion that immigrants are just here to take, take, take from Americans, without any loyalty or buy-in to American ideals. But we should welcome you with open arms, so that we can spend $200,000 to educate each of your children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Farms and ESOL parents might participate if their kids’ free stuff depends on it... maybe.

Lol. "Sorry Larla, you don't get breakfast today because your mom didn't volunteer for the zoo field trip." Do you have any idea how ridiculous and cold hearted you sound??

That's extreme... A more likely scenario is "We had to make a decision between letting the STEM teacher or the ESOL teacher go. And Larla, since your parents really have not been involved in any school activities and have not made an effort to advocate for the ESOL teacher, he is gone"