UPDATE, post #69 - should I fight the mandatory volunteer hours? - Page 4

[sapphire_chan]

Oops, I meant pass/take. Like if you choose not to take the background check because either you know you won't pass, or you're planning to just pay to the fee instead of volunteering, are they going to be tetchy about it?

But it sounds like that isn't generally the case, so that is good.

[Linda on the move]

At our public school, background checks are NOT required of volunteers, but volunteers can NEVER be alone with students (not even in a hallway working one on one). School staff have background checks and are responsible for the safety of the students.

At our private school, background checks are NOT required of volunteers, and volunteers CAN be alone with students. It's all very mellow.

Back when I was a girl scout leader, all leaders and co-leaders had to have background checks, and at least one adult present had to have first aid/CPR training.

[elus0814]

I don't know a whole lot about the background check besides the basic 'you have to do it if you are going to "volunteer" and you have to pay for it'. I'm 100% sure I would pass it, the only problems I've ever had are a couple traffic tickets, but I don't know what would happen if the parent didn't pass. I assume they would have to pay the fee. I think if the parents were incapacitated their children probably wouldn't be living with them without another adult, I would think the school could make arrangements for very unusual situations like that. 

My big problem with the background check is that we have to pay for it and we have to have it done (along with fingerprinting) on our own time and with the younger kids in tow. Taking an infant and a toddler to a police station doesn't exactly sound like fun. I had a background check done a couple years ago (they won't accept it because it's from a different state) and it took almost an hour with all the waiting and everything. 

[Sol_y_Paz]

Originally Posted by velochic 

So, I have a question.  It seems that there *has* to be an exception to this rule, somehow.  What about parents who are handicapped?  Incapacitated?

Interesting. 

[elisheva]

PP posted about using the tuition $$ instead to help fund childcare/other forms of help or activities and continue to homeschool. I think this is an A+ idea!! Honestly, OP, from what you've written it sounds like your values and the values of the parish/school don't really align. If you continue to homeschool, you only have to deal with the parish (and you can afford to tithe which I personally believe is important - that 10% isn't ours to begin with...but I digress).

[Emmeline II]

I still have a child at home so I don't volunteer much, but plan to do more next year when my younger child is in school. Though I doubt you'd be the odd one out if you paid the $800 instead doing the contortions necessary to be able to do the volunteering.

Edited by Emmeline II - 2/17/11 at 4:00pm

[elus0814]

Originally Posted by elisheva 

PP posted about using the tuition $$ instead to help fund childcare/other forms of help or activities and continue to homeschool. I think this is an A+ idea!! Honestly, OP, from what you've written it sounds like your values and the values of the parish/school don't really align. If you continue to homeschool, you only have to deal with the parish (and you can afford to tithe which I personally believe is important - that 10% isn't ours to begin with...but I digress).

Thank you for telling me how much my family can afford to donate. Even with being a member of my family and working on our budget myself I didn't know we had so much money!

Either way, we will not belong to a parish that has a tithe. We will do as we have always done and go to mass at the base chapel where we will put money in the collection basket but will not be obligated to put in 10%. I really do wish we could donate that much but we simply can't. The school tuition will stretch our budget and affording it means accepting help from my in laws, they don't agree with homeschooling and will not send money for babysitting.

The big problem we're having with homeschooling is being able to get things done and go out. Our youngest won't take a bottle (she's only 5 months old) so I can't leave her and our second youngest, who is almost 2, gets very upset with anyone besides DH and I. Babysitters are very hard to come by. We've been actively trying to find one by asking around, putting up flyers, and posting ads at the base we live at now and the only offers in nearly 2 years are from 12 year olds who expect $20 an hour. Even if I was ok with any of the kids going to a daycare it wouldn't matter since they will not take unvaccinated kids (the school will with a waiver). It's not as simple as 'just get a babysitter'.

[elisheva]

Whoa. No offense intended. I guess I had misunderstood your previous post about tithing. I thought you *wanted* to. That's all. 

Well, that nixes homeschooling for you then, I guess given all your other difficulties. I hope you can sort this out in the best way for your family. 

Originally Posted by elus0814 

Thank you for telling me how much my family can afford to donate. Even with being a member of my family and working on our budget myself I didn't know we had so much money!

Either way, we will not belong to a parish that has a tithe. We will do as we have always done and go to mass at the base chapel where we will put money in the collection basket but will not be obligated to put in 10%. I really do wish we could donate that much but we simply can't. The school tuition will stretch our budget and affording it means accepting help from my in laws, they don't agree with homeschooling and will not send money for babysitting.

[elus0814]

I talked to the school again, this time to the assistant principle. She told me yes, the 'volunteer' hours are mandatory and must be completed in the building BUT they have been known to work out special arrangements where families with a deployed parent can do a few hours here and there at home but only while the other parent is deployed. I guess that's something although it doesn't help all that much. I'll probably try to get big chunks of it done at home while DH is deployed.

The church does tithe but only 1/4 or so of their congregation are full fledged tithing parishioners. Others can certainly attend but have to pay for activities (like retreats) that are free to those who tithe. She said the school used to be free to tithing families but then word got around about it. Several large families moved to be near the school and enrolled all their children while paying a tithe on their low income. The school couldn't make ends meet. It sounds like a wonderful system in theory to me but I can understand why having families with 10 kids enrolled for their parent's $2500 tithe is not sustainable. The school had to go back to a tuition per child setup. 

The interesting thing is that since the tithe is no longer accepted in lieu of tuition they now count tuition towards the tithe so if we wanted to we could be 'full parishioners' since the tuition is more than 10% of our income.

We're going to go with this school. I guess our only other options are continuing to homeschool or using the horrible public schools there. There is no bus for this school so I'll have to do the drop offs and pick ups but I can live with it.

[swede]

Originally Posted by elus0814 

Thank you for telling me how much my family can afford to donate. Even with being a member of my family and working on our budget myself I didn't know we had so much money!

Either way, we will not belong to a parish that has a tithe. We will do as we have always done and go to mass at the base chapel where we will put money in the collection basket but will not be obligated to put in 10%. I really do wish we could donate that much but we simply can't. The school tuition will stretch our budget and affording it means accepting help from my in laws, they don't agree with homeschooling and will not send money for babysitting.

The big problem we're having with homeschooling is being able to get things done and go out. Our youngest won't take a bottle (she's only 5 months old) so I can't leave her and our second youngest, who is almost 2, gets very upset with anyone besides DH and I. Babysitters are very hard to come by. We've been actively trying to find one by asking around, putting up flyers, and posting ads at the base we live at now and the only offers in nearly 2 years are from 12 year olds who expect $20 an hour. Even if I was ok with any of the kids going to a daycare it wouldn't matter since they will not take unvaccinated kids (the school will with a waiver). It's not as simple as 'just get a babysitter'.

Why can't you bring your 5 month old with you places?  I think if you post in the homeschooling forum, you'll see that lots of people homeschool with infants in tow.  It might be less difficult than you're imagining.  Of all the homeschoolers I know, very few of them ever get a babysitter to go on field trips, etc.. with older kids.  That's one of the benefits of homeschooling - the younger kids get exposed to a ton, too :)
 

[sapphire_chan]

I think the real problem is that they aren't willing to let you come with your baby and trust your honor to only count hours where you're productive.

I am glad to hear that the tuition counts towards tithing. That should open some opportunities for you for connecting with that community.