Usually I just blog about my recent trips or things the kids do, but today's entry is going to be a little different. I need to vent, REALLY, REALLY vent!
My frustration with our school started a couple of weeks ago, when one of our board members announced at a PTA meeting that the school was going to allow local kids to enroll in our school.
Let me give you some history as to why this is happening.....
Two years ago, the expat community was growing at a rapid rate. It seemed like every company was sending families to India. There was one small problem, the school was not big enough so many children did not get into school. The Board of Directors and the Administration agreed that is was time to expand the school with it own elementary wing ( since that is where kids on the waiting list were slated). Projections were made, plans were drawn up and construction started. The new wing would be ready and open August 2010.
In the meantime, the economy was starting to turn and companies were sending families back so enrollment started to decline.
Last year, it was announced that there was going to be a 5% increase in school tuition. Well of course, parents were in an uproar and started asking where the money was going and why the increase when the economy was so bad. We had parents draft up presentations regarding school spending, salaries and they justified why we did not need an increase in tuition. The Board changed their decision and there was no increase (score 1 for the parents). It really didn't matter to me if we had the increase since our company pays tuition (which the majority of companies do at this school). It was just interesting to see how the school would waste money.
But to the parents who have to pay a portion of tuition, his was huge.
So here we are, No tuition increase, New building and a lot of empty seats (except in the elementary sections). The enrollment numbers did not measure up to what was expected. For example, there are some middle school classes which only have 5 students, there are some teachers who do not have a class this semester. You get the picture.
So the higher powers that be decided that they would open up enrollment to allow local students admission to our school. We were told that admission was going to be strict and that they were looking only to fill the middle school and high school sections. This was announced on a Tuesday and guess what, my daughter had a new student in her 4th grade class the following Monday. So much for middle and high school targets. All I can say is that in my opinion, I wonder what the going rate for admission is.....EVERYTHING has a price in India!
This brings me to this weekend. I usually do not go to the school on the weekends since I didn't purchase the Family usage pass, but since SAISA tennis was on I was there volunteering. If you would like to use the school on the weekends, swimming pool, gym, tennis courts or soccer field then you have to buy a family pass. Ok, fair enough. I assume this money is for the maintenance for the facilities, but if you are part of the faculty, you and your family can use them free of charge. Hmmm...teacher, husband and children use for free. Me, husband, student and other child have to pay. I would think that faculty and students could use the facilites and ALL other family members would have to pay, but rules are rules. What gets me is when HIGH level faculty come to use the facilites and bring two extra children to use the swimming pool. In addition to that, one of the extra children was swimming in street clothes, BIG no-no. At least, I thought is was. Our students are made to wear proper swim attire when they use the pool for PE or after school activities. If the child does not have the appropriate clothing they are not allowed in the water. Rules are in place for a reason, what gives a HIGH level faculty member the right to break those rules. What kind of example are they setting for the children. That is a clear misuse of authority.
Speaking of authority, that brings me to frustration #3. On Sunday, I show up for the volunteer duty and to my surprise, there is a cricket game being played on our soccer field. The team was made up of our security staff, custodial staff and some additional players who are not affiliated with our school. So what the problem you ask? Again, you need a little bit of background.
A few months ago, security for tightened up at our school. Every student, parent, driver, nannie and all staff had to show the proper identification to enter our school. If you did not have that you were not allowed to drive onto our campus, but you could enter through the walkway and obtain a visitor pass from the security. If you were on campus, you had to wear your id badge. It took a few weeks to get it into parents heads that this was no laughing matter. We now have our security team, police and armed ex-military personnel on campus. So this is serious!
It was brought up at a parent coffee as to why we allowed outsiders to come in and use our facilities. The HIGHEST power at our school said that he was going to put a stop to it....HA!
This brings us back to the cricket match on Sunday. First of all there were about 7 outsiders playing, we had custodial staff in school uniform playing ( which they were being paid for), and plenty of the security staff. Hmmm....Did any of them pay the weekend facility usage fee? I seriously doubt it. They also had the school tea and coffee canisters out. Not only do they use our field, but we also provide them with tea and coffee. AISC is way better than any YMCA!
As I walked toward the elementary section of campus, I notice another security guard with his children playing in the play ground area. They proceeded to the water dispenser near the classroom. The children starting looking in the windows and checking to see of the classrooms were open. When the guard noticed me, he quickly called his children over and they came to the open area. I asked them for their id and he told me that they were his children. I explained to him that I really didn't care who they were, but why they were checking the classrooms. He told me "My children wanted to see inside" and that he was school security so it was allowed. During our conversation, one of our Head security guards came over and told me it was ok because he was security. I again explain to him VERY loudly that if our STUDENTS are not allowed on campus without ID, which he strictly enforces, then how can these children be here without ID looking into out classrooms. Two visitor passes quickly appeared for the children, but that was not the point. Why were they checking the doors on the classrooms? How long has this been going on?
1 1/2 hours later the game ended. The players were extremely exhausted so a few of them took it upon themselves to lay on top of the lunch tables and rest. All the fans were turned on to keep them cool. When they were cool and ready to leave, the got up and starting walking toward the exit leaving all the fans on and their waste behind. I went to the security office to tell them to turn off the fans that THEY had used and to get someone to clean up the mess they left behind. The remaining players who were not AISC staff were still hanging around looking at our security monitors and having more coffee/tea. I completely lost it and told them they needed to leave. They had been here long enough free loading from our school. The two HEAD security guards told them to leave, so they walked off our "SECURE" campus with the visitors badges in tow and NOBODY stopped them. So we have about 7 individuals walking around the city of chennai with the proper identification to access our school. Again, EVERYTHING has a price in India!
In my opinion....Our security is nothing more than an expensive JOKE which is being funded not only by my tuition dollars, but also my tax dollars.
I could go on and on, but I will save some stuff for another day. So for all of you who hate public schools and wish you could afford private ones...Be careful what you wish for!
