I felt insulted at the Senior student orientation today

[ladyauthor2b]

Today I had to take my daughter for her school orientation. You know.. where they buy t-shirts, pay for lunches ahead or get the forms for the free/reduced lunches, pick up their schedules, get information as needed for the upcoming year.  Sounds like something geared up for an upper elementary student or for a new high school freshman. Nope. It was for my high school SENIOR.  I was coereced to sit down and listen to a speach about not bringing electronics to school (cell phones, ipods), the current dress code, the recent school scores in the state, how the normal booklet of school policy would now be on line instead of handing them out, (saves paper you know... and they should have thought of this about five years ago actually) ... Oh! and what to expect for the school year and how to prod your darling child to make that next big step: COLLEGE!   The counselor dribbled on about this for about twenty minutes. Nothing new that I didn't know. I liked how she threw in personal stuff, as if it was to gloat about herself: Oh, my daughter had considered Tx A&M, but she was a MUSIC minor.. and they don't offer it there.. giggle, giggle.. and without prompting from me.. she did pick out a very good school!"  Well, mama.. you make good money as a counselor. I would expect her to go to some IVY league school.  Then she goes into this speel about finanacial aid.. and if there were average students (like my child) that they should, at the very least, apply for help because there is such a thing as the college work program, where they'd be making money to go to college. No duh!  I found her speech a bit insulting. All scholarships it sounded was just for those elite upper students, whose parents already make gobs of money and can already AFFORD to send their kid to college without a scholarship.. but yet my bright kid, who didn't choose her family or the fact that her mom gets by paycheck to paycheck, only might qualify for a workprogram. Why? Because if she does end up applying for such a thing as a PELL GRANT.. they will say that mama makes TOO much money. How do I know? Because my son just applied for such help and that's what the financial people told him. He would have to get a LOAN to go to school. The type you pay back when you get out. Or however that works. I'm sorry. I think there is something fundamentaly screwed up with this system somehow.  Ok, yes, bright students work hard for the opportunity to go to college, but her insinuation was that scholarships are usually awarded to those special good looking, already rich, pat-ya-on-the back students born with spoons in their mouths.  Maybe not. Maybe I got this whole thing wrong. I just know I was fuming when I left the room. I was already steamed up having to be there in the first place. I had to leave work and go with my daughter just to listen to this high paid school counselor because it was mandatory! Ok fine. I had listened just to be insulted. Not a good feeling and my finances are one that can't be helped. It was just the way my life evolved.

"that's ok baby," I say as I pat my daughter on the back and urge her along to get  the textbooks, and the schedule change form, " we will get you there one way or another. "

Damn right!

[roolynn]

Aug. 4, 2009 at 11:29 PM

Yup, there is something fundamentally wrong with the way it works for school money.  I know....it's ridiculous.  Even for trying to get money for me!  Good luck with all of that.  And I'm sorry that you got insulted.  Yes, I agree, you were insulted.

[Kajenloca]

Aug. 5, 2009 at 7:31 AM

I hope that counselor wasn't purposely excluding students! Her job is to be there for ALL the kids!!! I'm sorry you had to be subjected to that. I have six children and though we are saving for school it is still going to be an uphill road. Do you have a local community college? I know the one here offers free tuition if the highschool student has a certain grade point average. Good luck on this venture! HUGS.

[MSugarKane]

Aug. 5, 2009 at 10:17 AM

When my last daughter graduated our local high school I celebrated !

We only have one high school to choose from or drive over a hour a morning and a hour in the afternoon to attend a private one. 

Our local high school STINKS. To this day I feel my daughters stopped education in the 8th grade and spent 4 years in our local high school just fooling around. 

They are all intelligent and have gone on to college where they have made the deans list by the first semester. 

There is a lot wrong with the system of public high school education.

I have asked my girls what did they learn in high school..

they learned what cocaine is, how to buy it, how to use it.

they learned who sells guns, what guns look like and who sells the ammunition,

they learned teachers could care less if you spent a hour on a project or one minute on a project , the grade would be the same.

they learned you could sleep in class, the teacher won't wake you up.

they learned to bide their time, not make trouble and get the diploma so they could start their education again in college.

It sounds like we live in the city, we don't . We live in a very rural country setting.  Across the street from us is 100 acres of farm land. On the other side of the street is over another 100 acres of preservation land that the town keeps safe from anyone building on it.

One of the counselors told one of my daughters "No matter how hard you work in class and in this school you will never do any better then working at McDonalds once you graduate."   I was mortified .  This daughter tested in the top 5 % of the country for comprehension level of reading.   She is now 27 years old and doing awesome in her profession. She is independent of us financially . If it wasn't for us as parents pushing her to be something , she probably still be living at home!  

I don't know the answer to providing higher education in the high school system today.  I am hoping it improves when my grandchildren get that far OR I will be driving them the two hours per day to make sure they get a good education.

 

 

[Puck1013]

Aug. 8, 2009 at 5:42 PM

sounds like she needed a reality check.  she needs to do her job, that is to support all students and offer options that can helo them and their families.  Did she say anything about using a local community college for the first 2 years of school, then transfer to a 4 year school?  My hubby did that and saved a lot on his education, and got his degree in less time.  Instead of 4 years of student loans he was able to only have to get 2 years worth. 

[OldnWiseMom]

Sep. 7, 2009 at 1:31 AM

Sorry you had to go thru that!  How awful!  Your daughter is blessed to have you in her corner, tho, and I know you WILL find a way to help her get thru school.  There are lots of scholarships that go unclaimed every year.  And she doesn't have to make all A's to get them.

You had every right to get miffed.  But, at least you weren't the student!  I went back to college after 40, and I really got discriminated against.

I firmly believe that anyone who really wants to, can go to college.

Good luck, and God bless you and your family.