So the kids are helping to monitor and keep the bathrooms clean. I’m not sure if this is school-wide or just a few classes. And what grade? Just so you know, they renovated the bathrooms last year and they’re gorgeous, complete with kid-made artfully hand-painted and colorful tiles on the wall. I for one am going to ask Marge Raphaelson, the Parent-Coordinator, tomorrow about this. She’ll know what’s going on. Will report back.
I didn’t know a darn thing about it but I read it on Park Slope Parents. An upset parent posted on PSP and set off a firestorm (not unusual over there). Some thought it sounded unhealthy, others weren’t bothered by it. The upset parent was surprised that no note went home about this. Here’s her latest post.
To John & anyone else who thinks I went over the teachers head by going to the
principal.
It was THE PRINCIPAL who enacted this plan without first contacting
the parents, not the teacher which is why I went to her in the first
place. I mean come on we get permission slips sent home for other
activities. Does anyone else think that maybe the parents should have been
notified first and given the option to not have her child participate in
activities that could affect the child's health. After all I have to
fill out a health card every year which clearly states all pertinent
medical info.
I have no problem with my child being a participant in upholding
community standards but I draw the line at bathroom duty.
I also would like to think that in an open forum such as this that is
intended to be an information sharing source that I could come out and
ask a question without being battered by anyone that does not agree
with me. The subject line clearly stated that it was a question for
parents of 321 students - NOT lets get the principal of 321 and hang her by her toes at dawn because she did something I didn't like.Let's all take it down a notch and take it for what it was - a question that I considered important and info that many others did not know...
Another PS 321 parent had this to say:
I believe the philosophy behind the monitoring system is that it will
encourage the kids to not make a mess because of peer pressure. This
new system takes a little time to work, but the bathrooms do seem
cleaner--and not just 'cause kids are being assigned to clean them. I
do recall that there was a written school-wide memo some time early in
the year.
saucytart, I do agree with you on the belief that the buck stops at home. My husband and I have the first responsibility for our daughter’s upbringing, and I’d never try to foist that onto the school. We’re fought to ensure her education will not be colored by someone else’s morals or religious beliefs. However, I think values such as “have consideration for others” and “be responsible for yourself and your surroundings” are fairly universal.Is there really a parent out there who would rather teach their kid “It’s all about you?”
Also, I feel that one cannot ignore the fact that schools do a lot more than educate the mind. It’s training for the real world, so to speak: “have your math homework in by Tuesday” eventually translates into “have your report on my desk by Tuesday” in the workplace. A lot of the things kids learn at school, ie, how to interact with their peers, function independently of their parents, cooperate with others, etc. are life skills. The chores are just another part of this.
Hmmm… Seems to me we’re mighty quick to let an institution do what should be done at home. The primary responsibility of a school is to educate the mind. Parents get to do all the other bits, including teaching social graces and social conscience, etc. I want my child to have my values, not values someone else has decided are best. And before you start screaming on me, I think peer mediation and/or active responsibility for one’s school environment is fine and dandy. But the buck stops at home.
“kids should just be allowed to be kids and go to school for crying out loud. They should be able to be childish and just be kids ” (quote from another commenter)
Actually, part of the goal of school is to teach children to be socially responsible adults. Having kids participate in classroom and school tasks–be it bathroom duty, hall monitoring, or whatever–is a positive thing. The kids are taught to be responsible for their environment, they learn that what they do (or don’t do) has an impact, and they feel as though they are more a part of their educational process.
Will every kid find it fun? No, but that’s another lesson too, that sometimes in life, you have to do work you don’t care for.
Besides, this sort of participation is a normal aspect of school life in other parts of the world. In the UK and Australia, for instance, kids who are chosen as Head Girls and Boys at their schools have a lot of responsibilities. In Japan, the students are responsible for doing ALL the cleaning at their schools. In France, kids carry the attendance books for their teachers. It’s part of life.
(and before anyone yells, yes, I am a parent. My daughter is seven, and she helps out with chores around the house every week).
GROWING UP ABSURD?
Two of my kids were trained in peer mediation and conflict resolution when they attended 321. It is a fine school with a fine Principal. They enjoyed doing peer mediation and I never thought much about it as it seemed a growing-up experience — trained to help resolve kid-to-kid conflicts in the school yard, etc.
I don’t know if “Bathroom Duty” (no pun intended) is an extension of that concept but now I am not so sure how great a thing the Conflict Resolution or Bathroom Duty really is– it seems like kids are being asked (used?) by our schools to do things that adults should be monitoring (if not actually getting paid for)….kids should just be allowed to be kids and go to school for crying out loud. They should be able to be childish and just be kids (it’s the only chance they really have).
Let adults read them the riot act so they can develop some of that generational antagonism that fueled Rock and Roll and makes America (including Park Slope) great…
But, really, you would think that navigating that Grade 1-5 social realm is challenging enough for young kids..it’s bad enough they have to worry about having the Citywide test-stress hanging over their heads, do they really need to be stressed about telling some slobby kid to wash his (or her) hands, or to not pee on the floor? Frankly, that seems like something they should be learning at home…
OK, now all of you Beserkely-Carroll folks can sneer and cluck and be glad that your cash is cushioning you from this..