Back to School

Dear Crestview Elementary School (Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township),

I saw your sign. I know you will soon be sending children to my door to buy paper-thin gift wrap, nasty cookie dough and tins of stale pretzels. Your fund raisers are about to get started for the year. And, guess what? We are not buying a damn thing. Why? Two reasons.

First, in this age of obesity, where over 40 percent of children in Indiana are obese and most of their parents are obese too, should you really be selling cookie dough, frozen entrees and chocolates? I mean really...is that responsible? Processed foods don't make our children smarter. Cookie dough (especially cookie dough loaded with hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup sold in a two gallon tub) doesn't make us healthier.

What about teaming up with local farmers and selling bins of fresh veggies or a reputable bakery that makes fresher items? Or selling bulbs, low energy light bulbs or any other number of socially responsible items. Get creative--get innovative--be the change you want to see (right, Gandhi?). But, no. It's still cookie dough.

Second, we are not giving you any more money. Did you realize we already give you thousands of dollars a year through our property taxes, but your school is so crappy we cannot send any of our three children there? We could walk--you are just a few blocks away. You have a great new playground and looks like the kids have fun playing soccer. But, we read the paper and we know what you are producing in that school. Lower than low test scores, children in first grade getting expelled, fights, huge classrooms. We know people who teach in the district. You should be ashamed of that school. And, honestly I think you are.

That is why every family in our neighborhood who enters the "lottery" for the magnet school gets in. So, those kids that come in my neighborhood selling crap for your fundraisers are not my neighbors. My neighbors who still have any faith left in your schools all go to the magnet (oh, and we are not buying anything from their fund raisers either).

So, here is where we stand. We will not be buying any cookie dough. We will not be buying ugly plastic wreaths. And, it's too late for any possible chance our children will go to school there--ever. You lost us, we tried another school and now, nothing can compare. We will pay our taxes and nod at those who choose to send their children to your schools (just because it's right for us, doesn't mean its right for everyone).

I should post this on my front door to spare them the frustration of ringing only to be told no. No. That will be the answer. No thanks, no cookie dough this year--no cookie dough EVER!