Last week, my son, a first grader, came home from school with an
unusual amount of enthusiasm.
”
Mom, tomorrow the whole school is going to meet in the
gymnasium!
”
Dear Editor,
Last week, my son, a first grader, came home from school with an unusual amount of enthusiasm.
“Mom, tomorrow the whole school is going to meet in the gymnasium!” “Hey, that’s great,” I said. “Will you be having a group exercise class or sports?” “No mom, they’re going to teach us how to sell stuff for the school! We’ll even get prizes!”
Oh.
The next morning, nearly a mile away, cheers could be heard emanating from the school property sounding like a cross between a religious revival and a pep rally.
That afternoon his book bag contained no books but eleven separate pieces of literature (sic), including three shiny catalogues, all promoting the first school fundraiser. He was psyched (What did they say at that rally?).
Catalogues are popping up everywhere. The mad dash is on: parents buying from other parents’ catalogues. Overpriced, but it’s for the children!
Being new to corporate fundraisers, I did a computer search and called the fundraising company.
Where did the items come from? About 90 percent of the items are made in China. Only the chocolate is exclusively made in the U.S. Isn’t child labor a problem in China? Another search… 20 percent of laborers in China are children (Est. 9 million in 2000).
They do mundane jobs like painting ceramics, assembly work and packing for pennies on our dollar. Labor laws aren’t well enforced. India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are even worse.
Oh.
We want to support our kids but my gut says “no” to buying merchandise on the likely backs of exploited children. Those aren’t my family values. What if parents gave $40 to their school’s parent/teacher club in lieu of soliciting cheap, overpriced stuff?
Don’t we have enough “stuff?” We’d save time, energy and all that paper and the school would receive 100 percent instead of 70-90 percent. Must we always get something in return? We’re sending a check directly to the school.
What if the next cheers from school were for the fastest runner, best speller or kindest student of the week?
Deborah Wianecki, Hollister
