8yo Gets Award For The Most Excuses

[MJS]

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...k-excuses-113936385--abc-news-topstories.html

The mother of an 8-year-old Arizona girl who was presented with a "Catastrophe Award" for apparently having the most excuses for not having homework believes her child was humiliated by her teacher.Christina Valdez said her daughter, Cassandra Garcia, came home one day from class at Desert Springs Academy in Tucson, Ariz., with the paper award.
The document, which looks like a colorful card, contained the following message: "You're Tops! Catastrophe Award. Awarded to Cassandra Garcia. For Most Excuses for Not Having Homework."
The teacher signed the card "Ms. Plowman," added the date - May 18, 2012 - and even included a smiley face.
The teacher announced the award in front of the entire class, and the other students laughed at her daughter, Valdez said in a Thursday interview with ABC TV affiliate KGUN-TV in Tucson.
When she contacted the school to complain, the principal "blew me off," Valdez added. "She said it was a joke that was played and that the teachers joke around with the children."
But Valdez told KGUN that she didn't find any of it funny.
"I think it's cruel and no child should be given an award like this. It's disturbing," she said, adding that she was not aware her daughter had a problem with homework, and that the girl had been enrolled in an after-school homework assistance program.
Desert Springs Academy's principal declined to comment to a KGUN reporter, the affiliate reported.

Is the mom making a bigger deal out of this than it really is, or do you think the school was in the wrong?

 

[sfs982000]

I would say it's a little bit of both. My question would be was there any other awards that were similar to that, given out as "jokes"? Personally I think that the school was in the wrong, but it seems like there might be some underlying issues that were not mentioned. For example the girls mother stated that the principal "blew her off" when she called to complain, but does the mother have a history of calling and complaining to the school? Joke or not though I think it was in poor taste and even if was meant to be a joke we can all see how quickly it can stir up the pot and now it's blown up on the news and internet.

 

[Sukerkin]

I am much inclined to exhibit surprise that this is an issue other than one of the child not doing the assigned work. In my day (old mans grumble alert) if you didn't do your homework you were in for something far more serious than a bit of 'embarrassment motivation'.

 

[Gentle Fist]

This would be a funny gesture for the workplace but not for elementary school.

It also seems the mother is in the dark about how behind her daughter is getting. Looks like she should be a little more active in her daughter's studies.

 

[WC_lun]

I think this should have been handled a bit differently by the teacher. However, if the parent has been ignoring the issue, it worked by getting her attention. I have to wonder now, is the daughter doing her homework or has that been lost in the excitement of national press coverage

 

[Big Don]

The award should have been for the mother... She failed to do her job.

 

[granfire]

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...k-excuses-113936385--abc-news-topstories.html



Is the mom making a bigger deal out of this than it really is, or do you think the school was in the wrong?

Actually, the apple does not roll far from the tree.

I have the king of lost school work at my house....maybe a little jolt like that would shape him up.

I most certainly would ask my kid wth was going on instead of going off on the teacher. (I bet the excuses were in themselves noteworthy as well)

But mom is making excuses with just such a behavior instead of addressing the problem: No homework....



(but then again, I am mean....I called for the 'tea pot dance' when the King of Lost Stuff was caught not keeping up with his stuff at the Boy Scouts. Mean Mom...)

 

[Buka]

"she was not aware her daughter had a problem with homework."

Says it all, really.

 

[MJS]

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...s-responds-225740653--abc-news-parenting.html

And the follow up.

The mother of an 8-year-old Arizona girl whose daughter was presented with a "Catastrophe Award" for having the most homework excuses in the class fired back against those criticizing her for poor parenting.Christina Valdez first told ABC affiliate KGUN-TV that her third grade daughter, Cassandra Garcia, received the controversial award from her teacher in front of her classmates at the Desert Springs Academy in Tucson, Ariz.
Since the story was first reported, it has sparked a heated discussion online, with thousands weighing in on both sides. Many took issue with the teacher, saying that the award was completely inappropriate, but even more lashed out at the girl's parents, asking why her mom and dad didn't know that their daughter was having problems with her homework in the first place and didn't check on her or take steps to help get her on track.
One commenter on the "Good Morning America" website said she deserves the "Out-of-Touch Mom of the Year" award and others told her to "step up as a parent."
Valdez said she brushed off the harsh comments and insisted that she made sure that her daughter's homework assignments were completed.
"It's not the case that I was MIA. I am there 24-7 with my kids and they do have a routine that they follow with homework and things they have to do around the house," she said, adding that she can only recall three or four times where her daughter's assignments were left uncompleted over the course of the school year.
"There are a few assignments that weren't turned in and that I didn't know of because Cassandra didn't write them in the homework book," she said.
Her daughter had been enrolled in an after-school homework assistance program, where she completed the bulk of her assignments each day, Valdez added.
Valdez said she never imagined the story would "go viral" and that she just wanted an apology.
"All I ever wanted was just an apology, for the principal to acknowledge that [the award] wasn't acceptable … and they have not yet apologized," she said.
A spokesperson from Desert Springs Academy could not be reached for comment for this story. The principal declined to comment to a KGUN reporter, who first covered the story.
Valdez said her daughter is still humiliated by the award, which looked like a colorful card and read: "You're Tops! Catastrophe Award. Awarded to Cassandra Garcia. For Most Excuses for Not Having Homework." The teacher signed the card "Ms. Plowman," added the date - May 18, 2012 - and even included a smiley face.
When she contacted the school to complain, Valdez said the principal told her it was a joke and that, "Some teachers joke around with the students."
Some of Christina's classmates received awards for superlatives such as "Math Wizard" and "Class Clown," Valdez said, but she still didn't find anything funny about her daughter's award.
"If that's the joke, then give her a 'Miss Busybody' Award or 'Most Talkative in Class' or something in that category, not 'Catastrophe Award,'" Valdez said. "I'd rather her not receive any award and pout and complain. It's just ridiculous."
She said it was not the first time her daughter had been singled out by the teacher and reprimanded, but that she never received complaints from previous teachers about her daughter's performance.
Valdez took her daughter out of school for the last week, saying she didn't want her to be humiliated and embarrassed again. She said she did not plan on enrolling her daughter at the school next year.

 

[MJS]

Was the school in the wrong? Perhaps it could've been done a bit more tastefully, however, sometimes people don't always think. However, I find it hard to believe this mom, and her giving the impression that she was as informed as she claims. I'm sure she is only saying what she is, due to the public attention thats been brought to her. Would the teacher have given the 'award' if what the mom said is true...that only 3 or 4 assignments were missed? I'd like to think not.

 

[sfs982000]

I just read the follow up to this on Yahoo and it really seems like the mother is making excuses for her daughter and will continue to do so since she doesn't plan on enrolling her back into that school next year. So bascially what's going to happen is the daughter will start over at a new school and start the same habits all over again. The mother admitted that only 3-4 assignments were missing, I'm assuming those 3-4 assignments are the ones that she knows of or will freely admit to. I'll reiterate that I think that the school was out of line for handing out an award like that, even if it was in jest, but the girls mother needs to get a grip and own up to her own mistakes. I'm not a perfect parent, but if I found out my sons had a assignments that were missing, the first person I'm calling out on the carpet for it is my sons, in my opinion holding them accountable for their assignments is a big step in teaching them responsibility.

 

[Big Don]

Nice is so overrated. Give me honest, even if it is harsh.