Charity Fund Raising in the Schools

[ShadowHM]

Hi

An issue has arisen in our household recently that I would like to discuss with some of the other parents here.

The topic, as described above, is charity fund-raising within the school system. This particular one, the Terry Fox Run/Walk, raises money for cancer research. But the issue is more global than this specific charity. How do you feel about curriculum time being spent on any charity? Do the schools your children attend have any similar efforts ongoing?

For background, I am inserting below the letter I just wrote to the Media Relations Officer of my own school board - the Toronto District School Board.



I would like some information, please, about the way that the Terry Fox Run/Walk has been handled at the TDSB.

My concern arises from the negative response one of my children has received at his lack of fund-raising participation in this endeavour.

My husband and I have discussed the Terry Fox Run/Walk at some length. Our conclusions are thus:

1) The goal of curing cancer is laudable.
2) Terry Fox himself is a genuine hero, and a worthy role model for our children.
3) We have grave concerns about how the Canadian Cancer Society allocates its research funds.
4) We do not wish to give financial support to an organization whose spending habits we are uncomfortable with.

This has led to our decision to bar our children from entering into fund-raising efforts for this event. This is a matter of our own consciences. There are many worthy goals that charities spend money on, and we feel that we should encourage our children to spend their energy and money on other ones than the Terry Fox Run/Walk.

With this in mind, it has occurred to us to question the participation of our school in the Terry Fox Run/Walk. I am wondering how this particular charity managed to insert itself into the TDSB so that school time is used to support it. As it stands, my children have three choices. They can join their classmates for the actual Run/Walk, eschewing an afternoon of classes (not counting the pep rallies that precede it). They can sit out the afternoon in the school, with supervision but no actual schooling. Or they can stay home.

Would you please explain to me how it came about that one specific charity, out of the many candidates, managed to displace curriculum in the TDSB this way? A brief history of the participation, including the level of authorization, would suffice.

I will be discussing separately the issue of the negative response with the teacher involved.

Thank you for your help in explaining the larger issue.

[Zed-F]

I think it's probably a good thing to have schools actively encourage charity work in a general sense. I expect that for at least some, and perhaps many children, if they don't get exposed to this aspect of life at school, they won't get exposed to it at all.

I can't say I know anything about the way the Canadian Cancer Society spends the donations it receives. I imagine that the reason schools have gotten more involved with this particular charity than with others is because that charity has spent more effort to target schools than other charities have, but that is no more than a guess. In general I wouldn't be alarmed by a modest allocation of curriculum time to charitable events, because this is in a way a form of education, just at a societal level rather than at an academic level. I would expect that most of the time spent on these charitable sorts of activities should be extra-curricular, especially for things like fund-raising, and that school time spent on these events should be minimized. I do think and expect that the teachers should treat the experience as an educational experience, and make sure the children understand the significance of what they are doing and what benefits it provides both to them and to the community.

[Griselda]

Hi Shadow,

Thanks for having an interesting and thought-provoking post for me to return to. It really makes me feel good about being online again, even if it means I'll be staying up way too late again.

Most of the fund-raising that goes on here is a matter of schools raising money for their own needs. That might be partly due to our inept system of funding schools in Oregon. The school where I currently work did do a fundraiser for tsunami relief last winter, but I don't know many of the details as I was not yet working there.

I generally support the idea of schools supporting children's initiatives to contribute to charitable causes, but the situation you describe sounds quite different. I would personally be uncomfortable with any "charity" event that would single children out or give them a negative response if they chose not to participate. Once that happens, it's more of a tax than a donation, anyway. It might raise money for an admirable cause, but it sounds like it would be missing any potential educational goal that might relate to analyzing a charity, selecting a goal, or thinking about the issues surrounding donation or volunteerism (lots of things that could go quite nicely into a well-designed social studies curriculum that might also support a charity).

I do think that schools have a role in teaching children about charities and a variety of forums of civic participation. There are some definitions of "literacy" that include this understanding. If we are going to prepare children to be citizens and functioning members of society, then I believe that we'd better teach them more than "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" and "1+1=2". (I suppose Ozy and Sirian might disagree with me here, and I might have time to respond if they want to discuss it more, but then again I might not) I think we need to raise children who are critical thinkers, and understanding charity and civic participation is an apsect of that.

But, my view of charities in schools is that any work done would need to be optional (or at least provide a variety of choices), child-directed, and have a clear educational goal. Otherwise, you're continuing to reinforce that children should just "do what they're told" and "please write in blue ink only on their pledge forms". That's not learning how to participate to a noble cause. That's not learning how to figure out how to take a stand for something you believe in. That's just learning how to follow the crowd.

-Griselda

[Sirian]

I would personally be uncomfortable with any "charity" event that would single children out or give them a negative response if they chose not to participate. Once that happens, it's more of a tax than a donation, anyway.

I agree.

I believe that we'd better teach them more than "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" and "1+1=2". (I suppose Ozy and Sirian might disagree with me here...)

Me? You must be thinking of somebody else.

Otherwise, you're continuing to reinforce that children should just "do what they're told" and "please write in blue ink only on their pledge forms". That's not learning how to participate to a noble cause. That's not learning how to figure out how to take a stand for something you believe in. That's just learning how to follow the crowd.

Check.

Unfortunately, you've nailed it on the head, as this is what many "educators" actually want to do: indoctrinate the children in to their own belief system.

Critical thinking? Stand for something? Make up your own mind? Real educators (like yourself) pursue these effects with uncompromising commitment, but how many folks on school boards are real educators these days? I presume it varies from place to place, but I also presume that the great people within the system are in a distinct minority. Many are far more interested in looking after their "causes" than they are in looking after the children. Too many confuse the one for the other.


- Sirian

[Griselda]

Me? You must be thinking of somebody else.

No, but I may be misinterpreting a years-old post. You made a post about education that I always meant to reply to. In your post, you discussed ways that the educational system could benefit from adopting some of scientology's methods. What struck me at the time was that the mehods you described seemed to me like they would work better if you were trying to teach something that was very specific - to cover content rather than to develop critical thinking skills. The problem is, a lot of the critical thinking skills and big concepts that we want children to learn (particularly in my grades- now first, second, and third) aren't something that can be measured. They're also not always the sort of understanding that will appear gradually in measurable packets. You might not see growth for months or years, but then finally you'll hit something that will cause a leap.

Anyway, I should probably dig up your old post if I'm going to be replying to that, but I have to go to work.

Talk to you later. -Gris

[Sirian]

In your post, you discussed ways that the educational system could benefit from adopting some of scientology's methods.

Ah. Well, that's not at all in conflict with anything from your post in this thread. I'll be happy to discuss it, when you have the time.

Although... We do have some other things to discuss, as well. Like... Civ4 will be out soon, and I'd like to be on the ball about it if possible.


- Sirian

[Drasca]

I am reminded of Robert Cormier's The chocolate war where a young highschool boy challenge's his school's chocolate sale and is villified.

I'm no parent, but reality's struck on the head by Cormier's novel. I'm glad my highschool class had this book on its read and discussion list.

[KingOfPain]

Did the Toronto District School Board respond. And the teacher, would be interesting to hear his/her reponse too.

KoP

[ShadowHM]

Did the Toronto District School Board respond. And the teacher, would be interesting to hear his/her reponse too.

KoP

I did receive a response from a TDSB representative. A housecleaning effort in my email program deleted it a while back, so I cannot post the exact response. However, I was told that individual schools are encouraged to involve their students in charitable activities, under the discretion of the principal. As long as the selected charity is registered, there is no further oversight. However, the Board's policy is that such activity is voluntary and that non-participation should have no consequences. I was encouraged to take up any concerns I might have about the spending habits of the Canadian Cancer Society with them directly.

Dealing with the teacher was straightforward. We chatted about my concerns and the upshot was that the boys did participate with their classmates in the Terry Fox Walk (rather than be baby-sat in the auditorium for that time-slot), although they did not produce any funds towards the effort.

All in all, a storm in a teacup.