My dear daughter was able to take three electives for her 8th grade year this year. Fabulous. She had four choices: advanced art, work & family I, work & family II and tech ed (an engineering-type course). She chose art and work & family I and II, figuring she would get the latter two, one semester after another. Makes sense to me. Her last choice because she HAD TO RANK ALL FOUR, was tech ed -- so not her cup of tea.
When she chose them she told me how she had ranked the courses. I asked if she could have had a study hall and was informed that no such animal existed at her school. I remembered that weirdness from last year. Yesterday we went to pay her fees for this year. I was assessed $10 for the tech ed class. I asked what the course was and was told it was an engineering course that had replaced shop. Yeah, so not my kid. The secretary told me that I could go down to the guidance office to drop the course. Cool.
The guidance office showed me her picks from the form they had. Yes, she had chosen the tech ed class because she had to, but she in no way wanted it and had ranked it dead last. The counselor said "well, she could have picked a study hall instead." I looked at my daughter. She stood up for herself and said "that wasn't a choice on the form." I glanced at the form and sure enough it wasn't on there.
The counselor started digging her hole....
"Well we didn't put it on the form as a choice because we didn't want students to pick it instead of picking a class." Umm, say that again? You have a study hall available, but you don't list that as a choice? Sounds like one of those things where you have to have a password or have someone on the "inside" in order to get in.
As soon as she uttered those words, I knew I was going to have some fun. Then she made it even more enjoyable for me.... (Keep in mind as she started speaking, two other counselors came out of their offices and flanked her. Cool that they could all 'meet me' at the same time.) She went on to say "we as educators...." Oh holy Mother of God, she did not just say that....went my brain..... "feel that it is a better use of the student's time to have instruction rather than sit in a study hall."
My turn: "So you (my hand went in a sweeping motion to include her cohorts) as educators, would prefer to put a child in a class that they don't want, don't like and don't look forward to going to, to have them not pay attention, dread going to class and risk a drop in GPA, because you don't want them in a study hall where they could concentrate on keeping up with their other courses, studying for tests and saving themselves hours of homework at night? Is that it? Because you KNOW with some kids, that's going to happen because they didn't know a study hall was an option." I think I took a breath here because I feel an artery in my brain dangerously close to blowing.
One of her cronies who advises the kids to signup for that course: "I don't even know what that course is." I'm in the Twilight Zone, I'm positive.
Them: "Well study halls weren't an option last year, but this year they are an option."
Me: "How do the students know that?" Blank stares from them.
Them: "Studies show that a student's time is better use....." At this point I know they're not listening and they've realized they fucked up.
Having reached my bullshit threshold, me: "LOOK, I AM NOT SOMEONE YOU WANT TO FRUSTRATE. I don't want her miserable. I don't want her GPA dropping. She needs a high GPA for scholarships." The counselor's cohorts scatter.
Her: "Well the course does explore different engineering careers..... "
Me: "That would be great if she had any interest in engineering."
Another blank stare and her position reiterated: "Well I as a parent feel....." Seriously, now you're going to impune my parenting skills when you just admitted to offering a super secret study hall?
Me, interrupting: "I'm sorry, but you just admitted not caring about whether students are interested in what they study as long as you fill up your classes. Drop_This_Class and give her the study hall. She has after school volunteer duties that she can still take part in if she's not loaded down with homework."
No argument. Nothing more was said. She said she'd take care of it. And just to be certain it would be taken off my daughter's schedule. I went back down to the fees line and got my $10 back for the course. Let 'em say it was never dropped.... must have been.... cuz my money, is in my pocket, not yours.
The guidance office showed me her picks from the form they had. Yes, she had chosen the tech ed class because she had to, but she in no way wanted it and had ranked it dead last. The counselor said "well, she could have picked a study hall instead." I looked at my daughter. She stood up for herself and said "that wasn't a choice on the form." I glanced at the form and sure enough it wasn't on there.
The counselor started digging her hole....
"Well we didn't put it on the form as a choice because we didn't want students to pick it instead of picking a class." Umm, say that again? You have a study hall available, but you don't list that as a choice? Sounds like one of those things where you have to have a password or have someone on the "inside" in order to get in.
As soon as she uttered those words, I knew I was going to have some fun. Then she made it even more enjoyable for me.... (Keep in mind as she started speaking, two other counselors came out of their offices and flanked her. Cool that they could all 'meet me' at the same time.) She went on to say "we as educators...." Oh holy Mother of God, she did not just say that....went my brain..... "feel that it is a better use of the student's time to have instruction rather than sit in a study hall."
My turn: "So you (my hand went in a sweeping motion to include her cohorts) as educators, would prefer to put a child in a class that they don't want, don't like and don't look forward to going to, to have them not pay attention, dread going to class and risk a drop in GPA, because you don't want them in a study hall where they could concentrate on keeping up with their other courses, studying for tests and saving themselves hours of homework at night? Is that it? Because you KNOW with some kids, that's going to happen because they didn't know a study hall was an option." I think I took a breath here because I feel an artery in my brain dangerously close to blowing.
One of her cronies who advises the kids to signup for that course: "I don't even know what that course is." I'm in the Twilight Zone, I'm positive.
Them: "Well study halls weren't an option last year, but this year they are an option."
Me: "How do the students know that?" Blank stares from them.
Them: "Studies show that a student's time is better use....." At this point I know they're not listening and they've realized they fucked up.
Having reached my bullshit threshold, me: "LOOK, I AM NOT SOMEONE YOU WANT TO FRUSTRATE. I don't want her miserable. I don't want her GPA dropping. She needs a high GPA for scholarships." The counselor's cohorts scatter.
Her: "Well the course does explore different engineering careers..... "
Me: "That would be great if she had any interest in engineering."
Another blank stare and her position reiterated: "Well I as a parent feel....." Seriously, now you're going to impune my parenting skills when you just admitted to offering a super secret study hall?
Me, interrupting: "I'm sorry, but you just admitted not caring about whether students are interested in what they study as long as you fill up your classes. Drop_This_Class and give her the study hall. She has after school volunteer duties that she can still take part in if she's not loaded down with homework."
No argument. Nothing more was said. She said she'd take care of it. And just to be certain it would be taken off my daughter's schedule. I went back down to the fees line and got my $10 back for the course. Let 'em say it was never dropped.... must have been.... cuz my money, is in my pocket, not yours.
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