Friday, May 14, 2010

Complaining in the public forum: At least do it well

In today's iCommunity where everybody is fewer than 6 degrees of separation from anybody else, why would we post something that could come back to haunt you.

Todays example: Nasty ill informed e-mails bouncing around the PTO

Turns out there is an email campaign in my district where a disgruntled family is trying to get people on board some Quixotic mission to teach either the school or the lunch vendor a lesson; under the heading of "school is starving it's students". You see, the lunch vendor for the district has a policy that if the students account is more than $5 in the negative, the kid does not get lunch. But will instead get a bowl of cereal, milk, and fruit "du jour".


The kid showed up for lunch, repeatedly with his/her account in the negative, and on this latest trip the child was sent to the office to call home to let the parents know of the issue (courtesy not policy). This apparently incensed the family, who has recently been emailing all the members of the PTO board, every teacher in the school, the principal, members of staff of neighboring schools, other districts, and claims that he will notify the press.

Over what?

  • you don't pay your bills?
  • you did not prepare your kid for school?
  • your kid does not like having cereal? (actually the kid has tree nut allergies so cereal is off limits. Hello, if you child has bad food allergies PACK YOUR OWN LUNCH)
  • the school cannot effect policy with its vendors?
  • you don't take care of your own kids? (yes, that is a second mention)
In case anybody is considering slamming me for not caring about underprivileged kids getting their lunch. NOT THE CASE. Our district fully takes care of those who are in the Gov't Lunch program separately. No this is for the "cake eaters" who can't remember to send in the 2.50 per lunch per kid per day.

Please stop emailing me to prove you are stupid. Please stop CC and reply all, please don't forward me the message. I don't really care. But I do care that you are trying to make your problem, my problem.

p.s. there are only so many days in school. Figure out how many days, figure out how many lunches, and pay in advance. Really difficult. If you spent half as much brain power on solving the problem as complaining, you'll have not problems.


p.p.s. part of me hopes he does get it on facebook or some other forum as they had threatened. A good forum spanking would be very much worth it.

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