OP, the responses on this thread are exactly why you should follow up with the school. A significant percentage of wealthy parents who send their kids to public schools are oblivious or don't care if they are exclusionary, and their behavior does hurt the culture of the school and overall participation rates.

Is it wrong to not want people can't afford your club and might not respect it's rules to not attend an event. Don't people join swim clubs to avoid the chaos, lack of class and community of public pools?

Social Justice nuts can't have it both ways. You can't demand that all areas integrate by SES by stuffing poor people in nice areas they can't afford and then expect the well off to dumb down their exclusivity so everybody can participate in everything. If you make well off people live like poor people they will stop living in places like Aspen Hill or Silver Spring and only cluster around other like well off people. I find the hypocrisy of the OP galling.

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.

Where does it say it's sponsored by the school?

In my former 'hood, many teachers and students belonged to the same pool. I've never been to such an event as the one OP describes However, if I'm a teacher who belongs to the pool and I have colleagues with whom I'm I friends, they may enter as my guests.

Neighborhood pools host parties, people. And guess what? Teachers belong to pools.

OP here.

This is definitely NOT the case. We don't have many (if any?) teachers who live in our neighborhood. It's not that the teachers just happen to belong to the pool. They are being brought in for this event.

Sounds like you need to join another pool. You are making a mountain out of a molehill. If not sponsored by school it's a pool party for members. It's not during the school year.

I don't get it. A private swim club is having a back to school party? Is the club advertising it for that school? I don't see even then why this is a problem. Private club can do what it wants. And since you are not a member why do you care?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would complain to the principal. In the OP it says the event is "popsicles with teachers and staff." It's particularly inappropriate to have a meet and greet type event with teachers that isn't open to all, but I would complain about any publicly advertised event for the school that isn't open to all.

OP again

This is exactly what was bugging me. But, the consensus seems to be that the event is fine. And, not really sure who you could complain to. Like the PPs say, the Swim Club is (and should be) allowed to host whoever it wants. And, I guess a private club can have parties excluding whoever they want also. Still rubs me the wrong way, but can shrug it off.

Like the other PP said, who knows how many teachers/staff will actually even attend. It's on a weekday afternoon and I'm sure it can't be mandatory!

I would schedule a meeting with the principal once school is back in session and frame it as an open-ended conversation. First, see if the principal knew it was happening. Explain that you and other non-members were excluded. Ask if the event fits into the principal's vision for community building and engagement at the school. I doubt there is an official rule against this kind of event (unless school or PTO funds are used), but a sympathetic principal will put some pressure on the organizers.

OP, it’s certainly insensitive. Our MCPS ES is 20% FARMS and much of the non-FARMS population lives in a community with a big pool and clubhouse. The FARMS population primarily lives in one of a couple of apartment complexes.

I don’t know if the community with a pool puts together a back to school party, but if they do I hope they don’t advertise it at school because you have to be able to afford to live in the community to have access to the pool. Even as a member of that community, I’d be embarrassed and would bring it up with the organizers of the event.

Anonymous wrote:I would complain to the principal. In the OP it says the event is "popsicles with teachers and staff." It's particularly inappropriate to have a meet and greet type event with teachers that isn't open to all, but I would complain about any publicly advertised event for the school that isn't open to all.

OP again

This is exactly what was bugging me. But, the consensus seems to be that the event is fine. And, not really sure who you could complain to. Like the PPs say, the Swim Club is (and should be) allowed to host whoever it wants. And, I guess a private club can have parties excluding whoever they want also. Still rubs me the wrong way, but can shrug it off.

Like the other PP said, who knows how many teachers/staff will actually even attend. It's on a weekday afternoon and I'm sure it can't be mandatory!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who is bringing in the teachers? Are they guests of members?

Is this in Silver Spring?

Rockville/Aspen Hill area. Close to Silver Spring

Not exactly sure who's bringing the teachers!

Is it the swim club near Earle B. Wood MS?

Anonymous wrote:Who is bringing in the teachers? Are they guests of members?

Is this in Silver Spring?

Rockville/Aspen Hill area. Close to Silver Spring

Not exactly sure who's bringing the teachers!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Exactly!
Also, a $500 pool membership is not exclusive.

It excludes people who can't afford $500 for a summer pool membership. Which is a lot of people, particularly in an area that has a Focus school.

Our percentage of kids who have ever been, or are now on FARMS is 36%. So, it'd seem that a $500 pool membership is a stretch for a good number of families.

But, thanks for the responses. It sounds like the consensus is that this it not a big deal, and the event is appropriate. Maybe I was over-reacting, or being overly sensitive, and I won't worry about it.

Tone deaf yes, but why don’t you organize and host another event at a community center? Who knows how many teachers will even go? My alumni group has a big event every year and invited the Senate and Congressional delegations from our home state. It’s advertised as if they all are invited - 1-2 minor congresspeople actually come.

FWIW I’m in NoVa where the $500 to join the pool doesn’t even even matter if you didn’t know to get on the wait list for the pool when you were pregnant. Our neighborhood moms host “Rising K” play dates that are really only possible for stay at home parents and those with nannies - so when school starts the power structure of which moms are running the show is already established.

Why would a private party be public.

Do you invite the whole school to your birth party

Who is bringing in the teachers? Are they guests of members?

Is this in Silver Spring?

Anonymous wrote:The people who aren't members can probably go for 5-6 bucks

OP here

No, people who are not members have to have a member bring them with a guest.

I guess this is also what made me think this is weird. Basically, they can keep people out this way, IMO. Seems a little elitist!

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.

Where does it say it's sponsored by the school?

In my former 'hood, many teachers and students belonged to the same pool. I've never been to such an event as the one OP describes However, if I'm a teacher who belongs to the pool and I have colleagues with whom I'm I friends, they may enter as my guests.

Neighborhood pools host parties, people. And guess what? Teachers belong to pools.

OP here.

This is definitely NOT the case. We don't have many (if any?) teachers who live in our neighborhood. It's not that the teachers just happen to belong to the pool. They are being brought in for this event.