Posted on 04/26/2008 8:14:53 AM PDT by A_perfect_lady
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida school board member is drawing fire from some parents for saying they should spend money on school clothes for their children instead of buying alcohol and cigarettes.
School board member Jay Wheeler's comments were made in an e-mail response to parents’ complaints that they cannot afford the new uniforms mandated by the Osceola County School District, according to MyFOXOrlando.com.
"Everyone can afford Wal-Mart and if they can’t, they need to think about turning off their cable TV or stop buying alcohol or cigarettes and spend their money on their children," he wrote.
Parent Maria Quintana says Wheeler’s e-mail is insulting.
“I have a job and sometimes it's really hard. You have to struggle," Quintana told MyFOXOrlando.com. "And to have them say something like that is really degrading."
Wheeler stands by his comments, saying people should get serious about education and put their children first.
"I thought it might be a wake-up call and I think it's something people want to say but were afraid to,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“I thought it might be a wake-up call”
One can only wake “sleeping” people—not those who are brain dead. The people who he is addressing are, for the most part, not fit to be parents and have a lot in common with the brain-dead.
Um, your 4-5 year old has a taste for insanely expensive designer clothing and doesn’t want to wear a uniform at kindergarten?
Whose fault is that, exactly?
I’m just saying.
I was in socal so leggings were worn maybe 5-10 days a year.<p.My catholic school years gave me a sense of discipline and self-control I never would have had otherwise. Uniforms were a part of that. Overall, I am very grateful to those schools, nuns and priests.
Don’t the parents help or hinder that self control as well? My personal goal is make sure my daughter is the best person she can possibly be with God’s guidance.
He has my support, too. I agree with your entire post.
My youngest, we call her Miss Fashionista, hates wearing a uniformm to school (Catholic school). So she always wears *cool* headbands or barettes to dress it up.
Our Catholic school finally had the long pants uniform included (we also have a spring/fall uniform) but not too many of the girls wear them. None of my girls do/did.
I pointed out that the Target store in the next town had uniform shirts for $5 each. Given what most of these students wear, that's got to be cheaper.
And, as you point out, most of them manage to afford cell phones...
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I hated wearing a uniform when I was in high school but appreciated them once I was in college and had to pick out my clothes every day. My teens are in public high school and hated wearing a uniform in k-8 but wish they had one now. My two still in Catholic grade school - one doesn’t care and the youngest hates it but tough :)
We HAVE to buy the uniforms from the school outfitter and they are expensive in a way. The polo shirts are $19 each, etc. However, they wear and wash well and I can hand them down to the next kid. Same with the jumpers/skirts/shorts. It’s less expensive than buying them school wardrobes each year.
There's always Salvation Army. I've found LL Bean and Gap clothes with the tags still on them.
You said it. We lived in a welfare town for 18 long years and saw all that and more. What a bunch of greedy crybabies.
Yikes. You're inferring a little too much, my friend. I didn't say she didn't want to or wasn't going to, I simply said she wasn't happy about it. There's a difference. She may grumble a little, but she does what I tell her.
Besides, "Insanely Expensive" is a relative idea. I can afford it (especially when I find Lily P girl's dresses at Costco for $20 each.) Besides, being an unrepentant Capitalist, what I do with my money is my business, so spare me the righteous rebuke. I'm just saying.
Yeah, the school she's attending allows for (sensible) jewelry and certain nail polish colors, hair dressings, etc. So she can indulge a bit.
Oddly, while khaki's aren't permitted, sweat pants on really cold (well, really cold for Florida) days are permitted.
Of course, but it was extra important to me to be in catholic school, we were in boarding school 1-7 grades.
so have i... and if you go to the Salvation Army or second hand store in an upscaled area, you can find really nice things at a fraction of the cost... i have a friend who has, in the past, driven to Beverley Hills (about 300-400 miles away) to buy furniture at second hand stores... she's gotten some incredible pieces for very little money... this was when gas was less than $1.60 a gallon...
Hey, if you can save hundreds of dollars on stuff like furniture, it’s worth the gas even at these prices. But you have to know that it’s there and you can’t count on it.
You’re right, too, about location. Salvation Army’s in upscale neighborhoods is definitely the way to go.
We go to the local one on Wed sometimes. Wed is 50% off for college student day. :)
She’s in 4th grade now but she complained the entire summer before kindergarten about having to wear “that ugly uniform” :) She’s different than her 3 older sisters, loves shopping for anything, compares prices, etc.
I think our school finally allowed uniform pants for the girls because parents would send their girls to school with sweat pants under the jumpers and skirts (K-5 wear jumpers while 6-8 wear skirts) during the winter months (NJ).
Luckily, my girl thinks the plaid jumpers are really cute, BUT, she finds them 'limited' (her words). My standard uniform is cargo shorts and concert Tees, or my gym gear -- so she gets the fashionista gene from my hubby.
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