When I watched my sisters come home from the last day of school...empty handed, I can't help but wonder how a school can do this to a child.
They don't know that she stayed up half the night studying for a really tough Novi test...
But I do.
They don't know that she spent hours and hours rewriting her notes, teaching other girls the material, all in preparation for the big test.
But I do.
They don't know that she needed a lot of tutoring, and that I used over 500 dollars of my hard earned money.
But I do.
They don't see my sisters come home and finally be able to release their tears of shame, embarrassment, and utter disappointment, when they were told that they were not getting report cards.
But I do.
They don't know that she needed to see the results of her hard work in order to motivate herself to continue working so hard in the future.
But I do.
On the other hand...
I don't know about the teachers who are waiting to be paid.
But I am sure they do.
I don't know about the bills they have that have yet to be paid.
But I am sure they do.
I don't know how many students have parents who are suddenly unable to pay tuition
But I am sure they do.
So what can we schools do about unpaid tuition bills?
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9 comments:
I don't understand.....it doesn't take much money to send out report cards.....are you saying that they aren't receiving report cards because it is too costly?
No, it's the punishment for girl's who's parents havent paid their tuition. Or, if you want to word it nicer, it's an incentive for parents to get their bills paid up on time.
It's not only report cards- My sister can't get her regent marks unless tuition is taken care of.
Is that LEGAL regarding the Regent marks?
This is all new to me....
Does this even work??!?!
When I say that they couldn't get their report cards, that includes all of their hebrew and english finals, their regent mmarks, and any other reports and things that were given back at the end of the year.
G6, I don't know if it works. I mean, I still never found out what I got on the regents I took in 12th grade. I used to be very curious, but by now I have gotten over it.
Like I said, i get the schools, it makes sense that they need to take desperate measures, but....
This disturbed me so much that I did some investigating and sadly, it's legal.
Now don't get me wrong. I think the school is fully within its rights if we are talking about families who are saving for a down payment or are taking extravagant vacations or driving fancy cars, but in cases where it is apparent that the tuition bill cannot be met, where is their middah of rachamim??
I think it's wrong. It's embarrassing to the student and that is not acceptable.
I live in Baltimore and I recall a number of years ago (when I was in high school so I guess around 15 years ago)the schools sent out a letter stating that they would not admit students into class the first day of school if parents owed tuition money. Parents who had paid tuition in full would be sent admittance slips to give to their kids, which would then be collected by the homeroom teachers on the first day of school. So any kids who did not have those slips were to be sent to the office and parents would be notified that they needed to be picked up. In the end, there was a big hue and cry and the schools didn't go through with it.
But it's fifteen years later and though I haven't thought about it in years, it's making me incensed. How could ever think it's okay to humiliate kids like that?
Also, I was reading a column in one of the Jewish newspapers this Shabbos which was discussing the idea that so much money is needed to combat the "at risk/otd" factor and help those kids, if more money had been spent earlier when the kids were younger you wouldn't need so much money now (prevention vs. the cure). Well, I'm not an expert on at risk kids (though I have interacted with and witnessed many over the years, including my own brother) but public humiliation by the school establishment is just asking for trouble.
I think the report card issue is ludicrous, because it only punishes the child. However, with the admit cards, I think it is more a call to the parents to please come in ( or call) and deal with the outstanding issues, since the schools need the money as well.
The bigger issue here is what to do in a case of someone who can no longer afford tuition, but is to embarrassed to tell the school. Ideally, there should be someone who can tell the school on behalf of the parent, " just leave them alone" This could be the person in charge of the Tomchei Shabbos, who already knows the person cannot afford the tuition. The extent of it does not have to be relayed to the school.
We do not live in a perfect world, the problem is with people who think they have all the answers, and are not willing to bend or adapt rules, especially in this economy.
I actually saw an article about this in the Yated, in the Chinuch roundtable section. This question was raised about the kids not getting their report cards and all that. I read the question, but haven't read the answers, maybe they are helpful?
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