Tuesday, September 11, 2012

On My Soap Box

So, usually I don't get up on the public soap box. Don't get me wrong I do have opinions, I just tend to share them with close friends and then let it go. However, I feel I can't just sit and say nothing about this current frustration I have.

Since posting this as a status on Facebook would be much too long I have reverted to my blog which I need to update more frequently anyways.

So all year long kids at school are given a bunch of fundraisers to obviously raise money for the school. As if they aren't annoying enough sending these home trying to get my kids to sell as many as possible so they can earn a prize of a silly dollar toy that will likely brake the same day. Seriously my daughter is always so excited to earn the biggest prize which is usually not likely to be reached. She doesn't ever know what the real purpose of the fundraising is for. Anyhow, this latest fundraiser sent home today was of course the Entertainment books. The ones filled with the coupons and are an outstanding $46 per book. There are of course the regular cheapy prizes which the kids get excited about trying to reach. However, for the second year since we have been at this school there have been extra prizes. Some are good normal prizes that I have now problems with like pizza parties, free front row tickets to the Christmas Concert, etc. The prize that frustrates me and I completely disagree with is that if the students sell at least 375 books as a school combined the principal will dress as a woman.

Now those of you who think this is OK will probably disagree with me, but I have an opinion too and it does matter! I do NOT think in any way is it OK to cross dress especially in a school or professional setting. What kind of idea does it give our children. The only thing my daughter repeated over and over all year last year was how her principal dressed up like a woman and went to each class room saying "I'm sexy and I know it." Now you might not think it is teaching them anything wrong, but when my then first grader asks me what does sexy mean and I have to try to explain it. Therefore it obviously creates thoughts and curiosities far above what students let alone elementary kids should be thinking about. I am already shocked that complete sexual education is taught in kindergarten. I was not ready for that one.

I firmly believe that kids are exposed to inappropriate sexual behavior at younger and younger ages and it does influence them. So I will not be supporting the Entertainment books and I will be writing a personal letter to the principal. Who knows if my disproval alone will do anything, but its better than not saying anything at all.

So there you have it. I am off my soap box and have probably offended some of you, but I listen to many of you speak your mind so I thought I would share what is on mine.

5 comments:

Jen said...

Mel,
I think you are completely right and I hope you get a good response from your efforts! So many parent's just take whatever is given to them and think it is okay. So more power to you for actually taking a stance!
Hope you are doing well and that you survive the upcoming winter.
Love ya! Jen

SNSsoup said...

Good for you, putting your foot down and not settling to tolerate what administration at the school deems acceptable! That it absolutely absurd that the principal would reward kids my cross dressing for them and to flaunt that kind of language, "sexy" in front of Kindergartners, shame on him!!! Not only will I suggest you write the principal, but be sure to contact the school district's superintendent. He/she NEEDS to know WHAT the principal is promoting to underage kids.

Katie said...

Are you freakin' kidding me!? Good for you for standing up for what you believe in and FOR YOUR DAUGHTER!
I can't believe that they would try to throw that in there as an incentive. No thank you!
Go up the chain of command and talk to the school district...and see if there are any other parents that want to write a letter in.
Show 'em what you got!

Sara said...

I also agree with you Melissa. Good for you for standing up for what you feel so strongly about. I never thought I'd need to think of homeschooling my kids, but every year that goes by I think more and more about the possibility that I WILL have to take a more proactive role in my children's education. The world just keeps getting scarier and our precious kids are the brunt of much of it.

Marissa said...

That is crazy! I would be upset too.