We choose to let some things have a negative impact on us. So what gets you down?

For me, it's lots of things about my job. I teach in a Title 1 Elementary school - more than half of our kids receive free or reduced lunch. They don't have a lot of opportunities. One of my colleagues applied for grants to get us free BART tickets to SF and free entrance to the Exploratorium. The deadline for turning field trip forms in was yesterday. Less than half our kids turned in their forms. We also didn't get enough parent volunteers to drive us to BART and chaperon. It was a free trip and we have to cancel it.

It makes me sad that to get a school bus to take your class on a field trip costs at least $300, more depending on distance traveled. To get money for field trips we have to ask for "donations." Phrasing it that way means most parents don't feel obligated to pay. So how do you pay for a bus? That's why we wanted parents to drive us. Of course the parent drivers are required to have a significant amount of insurance and they have a bunch of forms to fill out.

So... my kids who have limited opportunities lose out.


Veronica