Confused

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:53 pm

I wonder if any of you out there who happen to be educators can enlighten me on something.

My daughter has invited her boyfriend to her school's Halloween dance, which takes place tomorrow (Saturday)...so it's not happening during school hours, nor does it have anything to do with academics. We have his parents' permission for him to attend (and they'll be happy to supply a note to that effect, if necessary). So can someone tell me why in heaven's name do they also need a signature from the principal at HIS school? This is a policy we knew nothing about, until now...they're faxing the form over to his school and, hopefully, the principal will respond in time.

I can certainly understand the school wanting to have some control over non-students attending school functions...knowing their names, having permission from both their parents and the parents of the student accompanying them, etc. What I don't understand is why they need permission from HIS school, when this activity doesn't take place during school hours. Any thoughts? I'm utterly confuzzled.

Redwolf

djm · Post by **djm** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:00 pm

Perhaps its for insurance purposes, if the function is put on by the school, sponsored by the school board, taking place on school property, etc.

djm

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:09 pm

It may just be a polite way for principals to not step on the toes of another school authority. After all, if one school banns the kid from all school functions, it would be side stepping the punishment to go to another school.

Or you could ask the principal of your school and avoid my speculations.

If you find out though, please up date this thread.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:40 pm

It's always interesting to try to figure out what people are getting at. I'll make another guess just for fun. If there is concern about non-students attending the dance, could the signature of the young man's principal be just for the purposes of confirming that the fellow is indeed a student? I'll also be interested in hearing the reason if you find out. It certainly sounds like a well-chaperoned affair!

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:51 pm

Cynth wrote:...could the signature of the young man's principal be just for the purposes of confirming that the fellow is indeed a student?

Good call. Not just some sleazy 21 year old with a bottle of vodka.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:06 pm

Cynth wrote:f there is concern about non-students attending the dance, could the signature of the young man's principal be just for the purposes of confirming that the fellow is indeed a student?

Agreed, if he is already a student in the same county, then he's covered
by the county's insurance when he is on any school property within the
system.

Also, it gives the principle at his school a chance to tell them if he's an
arsonist or somehow dangerous to other students, and if he is suspended
or in some other way banned from school events (which you can't always
trust parents to divulge...)

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:40 pm

fearfaoin wrote:
Cynth wrote:
Also, it gives the principle at his school a chance to tell them if he's an
arsonist or somehow dangerous to other students, and if he is suspended
or in some other way banned from school events (which you can't always
trust parents to divulge...)

Turns out this is the closest. They want assurance from the other principal that he's not a serious discipline problem (I finally got curious enough to call the school secretary).

He goes to school at a private school in another county...I hope the principal doesn't sit on the permission form! We didn't know about this requirement, and my daughter will be devastated if he can't come. They're wearing coordinating costumes.

Yes, these dances are VERY well-chaperoned (and, hassles aside, I'm very glad for that). Because the school is grades 7-12, and all students are invited to attend the dances, regardless of grade, they have adults all over the place.

Redwolf

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:04 pm

They're probably afraid that he may be some sort of outside agitator who may try to do something subversive like starting a game of tag...

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:40 pm

Redwolf wrote:
fearfaoin wrote: Also, it gives the principle at his school a chance to tell them if he's an
arsonist or somehow dangerous to other students, and if he is suspended
or in some other way banned from school events (which you can't always
trust parents to divulge...)
Turns out this is the closest. They want assurance from the other principal that he's not a serious discipline problem (I finally got curious enough to call the school secretary).

He goes to school at a private school in another county...I hope the principal doesn't sit on the permission form! We didn't know about this requirement, and my daughter will be devastated if he can't come. They're wearing coordinating costumes.

Yes, these dances are VERY well-chaperoned (and, hassles aside, I'm very glad for that). Because the school is grades 7-12, and all students are invited to attend the dances, regardless of grade, they have adults all over the place.

Redwolf

I messed with your post just a bit to make it a little clearer that fearfaoin guessed the closest.

I can understand if such a broad range of ages is going to the dance that they would want to be pretty careful---7th graders are pretty young. I guess I do remember hearing of kids crashing dances and doing wild things. I hope the form comes through in time---surely it will, I can't imagine it being that big a deal and if they have a fax machine....

Maybe you can show us a picture of the well-chaperoned costumed couple! That would be fun

.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:21 pm

Well, thank goodness for our school secretary! It took three tries on her part for his school to get it together, get the form signed and get it back before our school office closed at 5:00. We've got the goods, though! My daughter is very happy.

These two went to elementary school together, and only just discovered last year that they are attracted to each other. Unfortunately, by then, he'd moved 30 miles away, so it's been a bit of a long-distance thing (hard, when you're only 13!). But they do enjoy it when they can get together.

I'll try very hard to get a picture.

Redwolf

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:29 pm

Aw, kids in love = cuteness.

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:26 pm

Redwolf wrote:These two went to elementary school together, and only just discovered last year that they are attracted to each other. Unfortunately, by then, he'd moved 30 miles away, so it's been a bit of a long-distance thing (hard, when you're only 13!). But they do enjoy it when they can get together.

I have a thirteen-year-old daughter who's smitten with a boy in the next town, a fiddler she met at summer music camp. He's a ferry ride away, or else they have to meet at the sporting events when our school plays theirs. Last weekend she brought her fiddle to the swimming regionals so she'd have a chance to get some tunes with him.

Long distance can be a reassuring thing...

Jennie

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:34 pm

Jennie wrote:
Long distance can be a reassuring thing...

Jennie

I grew to dislike the long distance relationships... <sigh> why did they have to go to school so far away???

I know in our school district, they wanted to make sure that any kids that came to the dances that were not from the district were OK.

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:00 pm

fel bautista wrote:
Jennie wrote: Long distance can be a reassuring thing...
Jennie
I grew to dislike the long distance relationships... <sigh> why did they have to go to school so far away???

I was speaking as the parent of a thirteen-year-old. I don't want her to not have a boyfriend, eventually, with whom she can spend a lot of time. But for a first love, at her age, I'm kind of relieved that the distance can sort of cushion the intensity.

Redwolf, how was the dance? What were their costumes?

Jennie

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:16 am

Jennie wrote:
fel bautista wrote:
Jennie wrote: Long distance can be a reassuring thing...
Jennie
I grew to dislike the long distance relationships... <sigh> why did they have to go to school so far away???
I was speaking as the parent of a thirteen-year-old. I don't want her to not have a boyfriend, eventually, with whom she can spend a lot of time. But for a first love, at her age, I'm kind of relieved that the distance can sort of cushion the intensity.

Redwolf, how was the dance? What were their costumes?

Jennie

Well, they ended up not wearing matching costumes because he couldn't find the right kind of pants. She went as the character "Rya" from the "Bonus Stage" internet cartoon. He was going to go as "Phil" from the same cartoon, but when that didn't work out, went as a character from the game "Halo" (sp?) instead.

They had a great time. They're great kids, and they've both had some trouble adapting to their new schools (well, new last year), so it's nice they've had each other, even long-distance. Sadly, I didn't get a pic of his costume (we met them at the school, and it was dark by then), but I got one of hers I'll post tomorrow.

I agree...at this age, it's nice to have a little distance!

Redwolf