Posted on 05/05/2008 5:12:02 AM PDT by Puppage
Greenwich (AP) _ Greenwich Schools Superintendent Betty Sternberg has barred recruiting by Boy Scouts while classes are in session, drawing criticism from town officials and Boy Scouts supporters.
According to Greenwich Time, she says activities other than instruction are a disservice to students. School officials also say that no other organization has had such access, and they have offered after-school alternatives arrangements.
First Selectman Peter Tesei, who serves on the board of the Greenwich Council of the Boy Scouts of America, said Sternberg does not understand the community. He also criticized her judgment.
Before the current school year, Boy Scouts recruiters were allowed to make short presentations during class, assembly periods and lunchtime.
School administrators were concerned about the recruitment activities cutting into instruction time and ended the practice.
I would imagine a closer inspection would reveal other organizations ARE recruiting within the confines of the school, and during teaching time ... sometimes by the teachers themselves.
That’s not right...
I think you're probably right. At the same time, fwiw, I agree with the premise that class time should be used for instruction.
I am pro Boy Scouts and I understand a well-founded suspicion of educational bureaucrats, but going on the surface of this story I don’t really have a complaint.
I don’t see why boy scouts should be privileged over girl scouts or the boys and girls clubs, etc.; and I am all for public schools recommitting themselves to an academics focus.
This is more about the education establishment’s turf. The NEA will be first to tell you its their way of the highway when it comes to “public schools.”
Predicated on the supposition that actual instruction/education is going on at all times in these “Public” schools? /sarc is possible.
It was a theoretical comment, not truly relevant to anything actually happening in government schools.
“Badda-Bing, Badda-Boom.
“Badda-Bing, Badda-Boom.
OOps! said “Too much coffee man”.
Never, NEVER underestimate the incompetency and shallowness of a public school administrative official. These jobs are in the set of those created by God for people who have absolutely no abilities whatsoever. Why do we support public schools? Why do we give tax monies to universities where the majority of students contained with wouldn’t even qualify for a high school diploma 75 years ago? Why do we keep electing school boards consisting of folks who cannot even spell “creativity” and to whom morals are something to be disdained?
Quite so.
There are a number of school districts in the Chicago suburbs that have the same policy. They do let us distribute recruitment material in the schools, however.
INTREP
Da_n Commies!
I’m a Scout volunteer and I’ve done in-class recruiting myself — but even while doing it, I wondered how it was that BSA had such access to classrooms, but other organizations didn’t.
Getting back to the article, I hope the exclusion didn’t include lunchtime — I’m not sure what “instruction time” is impacted while recruiting over a sack lunch.
If true, I don't see a problem.
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