A single solitary pencil

Dear Editor:
I am the father of a boy who attends one of the educational institutions here, in the Labrador West area and feel it is important to address the following matter.
Recently, my son came home from school with a letter and a sponsor sheet for the annual Walk for Youth and Humanity being held in conjunction with The Red Cross, to take place on Friday, June 11, 2010. At this time, I must make apologies to the Red Cross for not being whole-hearted in my support because, although I believe in donating to appropriate charities, I was appalled at the fact that the school itself is benefiting from the walk on a 50-50 basis. I beg your indulgence while I elaborate.
Beginning in September and ending sometime in June, we-the parents of the children-are faced with a number of fundraising events to help defray some of the costs of educating our children. Whether it be a penny drive, the sale of cookie dough, Christmas card/gift wrap catalogs, or walks (such as the one mentioned above), there is always something being promoted to raise funds. This in addition to and above the monies spent by parents purchasing necessary school supplies at the beginning of the scholastic year. The supplies we are asked to purchase include such things as loose-leaf paper, duo-tang folders, scissors, erasers, crayons, glue sticks and pencils. I would like to emphasize pencils for the following reason.

Shocked at school
A couple of weeks ago I received a call from my son, who was at school, because he had forgotten his swimming gear and was to attend a swim class that day (another, albeit worthwhile, event that the parents were required to pay for). Upon my arrival at his classroom door to deliver the aforementioned swimwear and towel, I was greeted by his teacher who asked to speak with me for a moment. She informed me that my son had arrived at the school that morning unprepared for his spelling test. Not unprepared in that he did not know his spelling words, but rather, unprepared because he did not have a pencil with which to write the words on the blank sheet of paper that lay before him, on his desk. The teacher informed me that the class was nearly completed the spelling quiz and that my son did not have a single word down on paper, simply because he did not have a pencil in his possession. I looked at my boy who was beginning to well up with tears (I imagine because he believed that I was going to be angry with him) and the feelings I felt were enough to bring out the worst in me. I was indeed angry, but not with him. I had everything I could do to control my emotions as I told him not to allow himself to be upset by the situation and I also told him he was not to allow anyone else, (i.e. the teacher) to upset him either. To say that I was angry would be an understatement, to say the least. That evening, I came home and went through my apartment digging up every pencil I could find, and I managed to come up with about 15 pencils, which were placed in his schoolbag. He went to school the following day with the admonition NOT to give his teacher, or anyone else in the classroom, any or all of the pencils in his possession. He was also told to let me know if, and when, his supply of pencils was to run low.

Not perfect
This is where my difficulties arise with respect to charitable events being linked with school fundraising events. My boy was forced to sit in a class, unable to do his spelling quiz, for the sake of a 20-cent pencil. And his teacher, who is his primary educator with respect to all things scholastic was either unable, or unwilling, to locate even a stub of a pencil to allow him to complete his spelling quiz. I freely admit that I am less than a perfect parent when it comes to making sure that my boy has his homework done. I am guilty of allowing him far too much time on the Xbox or the computer looking for cheat codes for his games or watching Youtube videos. I would prefer that he and I sit and watch the Discovery Channel together, or go for a ride on our bikes, or play a game of catch. However, I ask him every day if he has homework and, for most of this year, have allowed him to fend for himself with the caveat that HE is ultimately responsible for his work. Recently, I had to disappoint him by telling him he would not be receiving a rather expensive birthday present that he had requested because of his poor performance on a math quiz. Now, I am forcing him to spend time at his books due to his slack attitude with respect to his schoolwork and he is accepting the responsibility of the work and loss of his PS3 with more maturity than I honestly expected of him.

School has responsibilities too
But I digress. The fact is that I, to the best of my abilities, provide him with the incentive and tools to achieve whatever it is he may be capable of. At the same time, I am responsible for providing positive re-enforcement when he does succeed and moderate punishment when he does not. My point is, the school and the educators employed there bear the responsibility to help him with his work by providing an atmosphere that is conducive to his success, NOT his detriment. If the school or his teacher is allowed to make a child, like my son, feel as if he is unworthy of being provided something as simple as a pencil with which to do his work, how can I, as a parent, be expected to support such a school or the teachers who work within it.
No more pencils
I know this much, if nothing else. When my child begins his next school year, he will have every single item he needs as listed on that famous list of school supplies that we, as parents are required to purchase. He will have them, but the school will not. He will have my complete support and encouragement to achieve all that he is capable of. He will also have the understanding that he and I, together, will go over every lesson and he will, despite his affinity for video games and playing with his friends, be forced to make his best effort to learn that which he is required to learn. However, the school and the school system will NOT see a sheet of loose leaf paper, not one duo-tang folder, not a glue stick, nor scissors or crayons, or one dollar that is requested as part of their so-called fund raising drives. Finally, and I don't care how petty this may sound, the school will NOT receive a single solitary PENCIL.

Sincerely,
Chris Gilbert
Labrador City, NL