The practice of camping out either overnight or for days is unfair to parents who 1) cannot take off work 2) are single parents 3) do not have the resources to participate in the county club “camp out”.
This is from the VDT from April 18, 2008
VALDOSTA — The Lowndes High School campus was a camping ground over the night as parents of pre-schoolers came out before sunset Friday to get in line for today’s pre-K registration.
Amid a number of changes made to the school system’s redistricting plan over the past months, the decision was made to hold all of this year’s pre-K registrations in one place, in efforts to alleviate confusion.
“We didn’t want people to go to the wrong school and miss out on the opportunity to enroll their kids in pre–K, because it is on a first come, first served basis,” said Heather Bonner, director of community relations.
To keep the process fair for all community parents, system employees must stand in line to register their children as well.
“The reason it’s first come, first served is because of state guidelines, which require it be done this way or as a lottery. Our system felt this was the fairest way to do it rather than pulling names out of a hat,” Bonner said. “And this process is 100 percent fair, no preferences.
This not fair unless you are wealthy enough and have the resources to participate in the “Camp out”.
Not only did the school allow for parents to camp out they helped out.
“We did anticipate that people would camp out actually, and so we have a police officer out through the night and port-a-potties on site as well,” Bonner said. “We even have some students at Clyattville who have decided to take advantage of this captive audience, and raise money for Relay for Life by selling coffee and donuts.”
Go read the whole article.
Lets see what happens in Atlanta when they do the same thing. From the AJC
It was just after midnight Monday when Jackie and Michael Cottrell parked their 40-foot motor home across the street from Mary Lin Elementary School.
Their plan was simple: Camp out to make sure Skyler gets into the highly coveted pre-k program at the school in Atlanta’s Candler Park. Even if that meant spending three days and three nights in the camper until registration begins Thursday.
“The whole process is kind of goofy, but what parent doesn’t do crazy things for their kid?” Michael Cottrell said.
Competition is tight for the program, which has room for 20 kids. The Cottrells started a registration line and secured the first spot.
When Branch Sinkule pulled up in his brother’s camper around 8 a.m. Monday he was number 27.
It’s just like a big happy urban camping vacation:
The camp-out has become an annual occurrence since at least 2004, as the school’s reputation for strong test scores has grown.
By Tuesday morning, Candler Park Drive resembled a camping ground with lines of RVs, grills, mess tents and picnic chairs.
And they police themselves and make up rules:
The atmosphere Tuesday was collegial. Signs on camper doors invited people to come in for a cup of coffee. Families shared hot dogs and hamburgers and set up play-dates for their children.
Still, the parents set some rules. They agreed to 15-minute bathroom breaks at reasonable intervals. Break the rule and you forfeit your spot. They also exchanged cell phone numbers. If called, you must appear within 10 minutes or lose your place in line.
Clement said he got a call Monday night because someone didn’t recognize the woman holding his spot. It was his mother-in-law.
“It’s really intense,” Clement said. “Nos. 21 and up are gunning to move up. They’ll catch you if you break the rules.”
But then folks really say what they mean:
Many parents use vacation and sick days to take time off from work. They acknowledged other families can’t afford to do that. Some parents said one mother gave up her place in line because no one could hold her spot while she was at work.
“It is a tough situation for many families,” said Kelly Schupp, who held spot No. 7. “We want to be neighborly and friendly, but this is about our kids.”
But it’s fair right?
“I know this is an archaic process, but it’s better than a lottery. You can earn your spot, rather than being lucky.”
Yeah, you EARNED that spot.
But alls fair in love and war, right? It’s not as if it is wrong or illegal to camp out? Right?
Superintendent Beverly Hall sent a letter to schools Monday in response to the unusually large crowd this year. Hall told school officials and parents that camping out is unfair and violates city ordinance.
“In order to ensure that all parents have a fair opportunity, the line of ‘campers’ will not be considered the line for purposes of prekindergarten enrollment,” Hall wrote.
Campers said parents historically respect the line, but didn’t know what would happen Thursday morning.
“It would have been nice to have been told this earlier, but we’ll see what happens,” Michael Cottrell said. “At least we’re already in the right place.”
Well what happened the night beforethe registration? Oh the horror!
Heather Kotler had camped out for more than two days when she read a letter saying all her work to get her son into the highly coveted pre-k program at Mary Lin Elementary could be for nothing.
She and nearly 30 other families parked campers and RVs across the street from the school in Atlanta’s Candler Park. They created a line for Thursday’s registration during which officials would fill the 20 openings. Spots are awarded first-come, first-served.
Then, Wednesday Kotler and others in line received a letter from Superintendent Beverly Hall saying the camp-out queue would not be the official registration line. She wrote parents who camp out violate city ordinances and create an unfair situation for families without the resources to do so.
Hall and other district officials said the Mary Lin crowd was an unusually large crowd this year. Parents agreed, but said the district had no right to change the rules in the middle of the game.
“This is the way it works every year,” Kotler said. “Everyone knows that.”
The annual camp-out dates back at least four years. Parents privately organize the line, but it has become such a tradition that the PTA raises money for the school by auctioning off items to make the wait more enjoyable. Kotler and her husband paid $200 in a PTA auction to use a camper for the long wait.
Parents said Wednesday evening Atlanta police officers ordered them to move all campers and RVs. Police barricades blocked parents from entering school property until officials were ready Thursday.
In all, 33 people registered. Kotler’s son, Brody Weiss, got a seat in the school’s pre-k. Not everyone who camped out was as lucky and some were put on a wait list.
“Shame on you!” one parent shouted at school officials. A sign hanging from one car read: “Superintendent Beverly Hall You Should Be Ashamed.”
It just not fair to these hard working campers! Right?
“It has gotten to be a little, what I consider, unfair,” Burks said. “After this week, I think we all realize it is time to review our process.”
Burks said it’s too soon to say what changes would occur.
Parent Julia Murray said changes are needed. Murray, who works full-time and couldn’t afford to camp out, arrived around 6 a.m. Thursday to register her son, who did not get in.
“We all don’t have spouses or families or bosses that will help us or let us camp out for days on end for this,” Murray said. “They need to come up with a new way to do this. It isn’t fair.”
How about doing the fair thing and have the lottery. Why is it that people have to have a competetion for you kids to go to school? Since it is a competition this means working class parents, single parents, sick parents and others who cannot take off work lose in this set up.
Filed under: Education, Education Policy, Georgia, Georgia Education, Lowndes Schools, Poverty and education, Race and education, Uncategorized | Tagged: Pre K campout, unfair advantages
