1/5/07--Turning my kids into slave labor---no, not me

So on Tuesday, my kids decided to participate in a band activity to help the school raise money for new band uniforms.  Now, before I even get started, this is interesting to me in the sense that, as a private school.....their school is not exactly hurt cash flow wise.
Lots of rich kids who's parents are from Venzuela---if ya get my drift.

Anyway, what they were going to be doing was to go with other kids in the band, with the band director there, and participate in selling different memorabilia for the Orange Bowl.  Shirts, hats....that sort of thing.  Their mother dropped them off around 6:45am
at the school.  They were joined by a bunch of other kids from the band, along with the band director.  They headed for the stadium for an orientation on what they would be selling, etc.  They were supposed to be home around midnight.

I picked up my two kids...including my 14 yr old daughter...at 2:15am.  I was not happy.  I told Kellie that she should be very thankful that I did not yell and scream at the band director for keeping my kids out for 20 hours.  The kids were credited with some community service hours (which they didn't need as both of them has already completed the number they need for high school), and helped raise quite a bit of money for the school (almost $2,000)....the school made sure they had sandwiches at lunch.  How nice.

I called my daughter around 12:30am to find out if they were at the school yet---she told me that they were still at the stadium, selling souvenirs.  The game was now over, and the kids were still having to sell items.  She finally called me around 1:25am to tell me that they were getting on the bus.  When I got to the school, after 2am, the kids were their with two security guards and the band director.  The kids got in the car and I drove off, with the director looking at me.  I couldn't help but wonder if she was waiting for me to thank her for waiting there with the kids (uh, that would be her job).

It was the next day when I was speaking to the kids about the previous evening when I learned of other things that went on.  I asked my son if he had any trouble with one of the kids in the band who sometimes acts a little like a bully.  His response:

"No, not with him....only with the drunks."

When he explained, he told me that an obviously intoxicated man came up and tried to steal some of the items he was selling. 

Then I asked my daughter if she had run into any problems.  Her response?

"Well, I had a drunk guy up and he asked a friend of mine if he could buy me."
"Excuse me?  Buy you?"
"Yeah...he asked my friend if I was for sale."

When we relayed these stories to my wife...she asked who the parent chaperones were for the day.  She was told that there were no chaperones, that the band director was the only adult there with them.

Over 20 kids, some as young as 14 (if not younger)...and there is one adult there.
 
20 hours.  No community service credit (no needed).  No extra credit for their participation.  One adult supervising them as they are accosted by drunken fans.

I am not happy.

Later,
Jeff