Finally something good out of California

[RightPedal]

School Answering Machine
Ture or not who care, but it's still a good idea.


This is the message the Pacific Palisades High School (California) Staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine.
This came about because they implemented a policy requiring
students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework. The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children's failing grades changed to passing grades even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete
enough school work to pass their classes.

This is the actual answering machine message for the school:
"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school.
In order to assist you in connecting the right staff member, please listen to all your options before making a selection:

"To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
"To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2
"To complain about what we do - Press 3
"To swear at staff members - Press 4
"To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
"If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
"If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
"To request another teacher for the third time this year- Press 8
"To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
"To complain about school lunches - Press 0
"If you realize this is the real world and your child must be
accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work,
homework, and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort...hang up and have a nice day!

 

[jarhead]

While I am 95% certain that this is some sort of "urban legend", I agree that it would be a good message. The reality is, that this message would cause a law suit to be initiated faster than the time it would take to hang the phone up. Perhaps the source of this was in "The Onion"?

 

[Timebuilder]

I'm afraid you're right that this message might cause an entire group of parents to mount a lawsuit.

Yet another illustration of why some companies are loathe to hire these same parents, their children, or those who have been similarly raised to feel entitled, without giving the requisite effort.

 

[Flywrite]

The tough thing is trying to raise your kids in accordance with the final option when the teachers are devoting 75% of their time to dealing with the kids being raised by parents choosing the other 10.

 

[Timebuilder]

That's one aspect of the Culture War.