In my entire career as a professional educator (18 years and counting), I have received a grand total of one email from the White House.
... I'm not sure it counts though, because it wasn't addressed to me, I was merely CC'ed on the thing ...
Email from The Office of the President of the United States:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
We regret to inform you that the President cannot grant your request for a Presidential Appointment to <names my school.> According to <names federal educational policy code,> when the state in question joined the Union, educational policies for the state are under the purview of the Governor's office.
For further assistance, please contact your Governor's Office.
Prior to receipt of this email, I had no idea that there even *was* such a thing as a "Presidential Appointment," and I certainly had never had a parent pursue one. Needless to say, a parent willing to petition the President of the United States for a spot in my Kindergarten program was not going to stop with a rejection email from said President. A few weeks later, I received an email from the Governor's office ...
Email from the Governor's Office:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
We regret to inform you that the Governor cannot grant your request for a Governor's Appointment to <names my school.> According to <names state educational policy code,> in this state, each school district's governing body, in this case the Superintendent and School Board, can determine the criteria in which students are accepted to specialty schools within the district's boundaries.
For further assistance, please contact your school district's Superintendent's Office.
By the time that email crawled through my inbox, I was feeling very sorry for whatever White House intern and Governor's Office personnel that had had to research all of this to give the parent their answer. Of course, it wouldn't end there either ...
Email from the Superintendent's Office:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
Following an investigation on your behalf, it was determine that the school to which you have applied has followed all correct protocol and procedures. We regret to inform you that your child's placement will not be reconsidered. You may, however, apply again next year in hopes that your child will be selected in the lottery. Best wishes.
A few days later, the following email landed in my inbox ...
Email from My Principal:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
I understand your disappointment that your child was not selected for the G/T program at this campus. Unfortunately, there is nothing that I can do for you. If you would like further assistance, please contact the Magnet Coordinator.
Given that the parent had started all of this with me, but didn't like my answer, they did not contact me; however, from that moment on, when a parent would want to argue with me about their child's placement (or lack thereof), I *always* wanted to say, "Even the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES cannot get your kid into my school." ... I never did though ...
... I'm not sure it counts though, because it wasn't addressed to me, I was merely CC'ed on the thing ...
Email from The Office of the President of the United States:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
We regret to inform you that the President cannot grant your request for a Presidential Appointment to <names my school.> According to <names federal educational policy code,> when the state in question joined the Union, educational policies for the state are under the purview of the Governor's office.
For further assistance, please contact your Governor's Office.
Prior to receipt of this email, I had no idea that there even *was* such a thing as a "Presidential Appointment," and I certainly had never had a parent pursue one. Needless to say, a parent willing to petition the President of the United States for a spot in my Kindergarten program was not going to stop with a rejection email from said President. A few weeks later, I received an email from the Governor's office ...
Email from the Governor's Office:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
We regret to inform you that the Governor cannot grant your request for a Governor's Appointment to <names my school.> According to <names state educational policy code,> in this state, each school district's governing body, in this case the Superintendent and School Board, can determine the criteria in which students are accepted to specialty schools within the district's boundaries.
For further assistance, please contact your school district's Superintendent's Office.
By the time that email crawled through my inbox, I was feeling very sorry for whatever White House intern and Governor's Office personnel that had had to research all of this to give the parent their answer. Of course, it wouldn't end there either ...
Email from the Superintendent's Office:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
Following an investigation on your behalf, it was determine that the school to which you have applied has followed all correct protocol and procedures. We regret to inform you that your child's placement will not be reconsidered. You may, however, apply again next year in hopes that your child will be selected in the lottery. Best wishes.
A few days later, the following email landed in my inbox ...
Email from My Principal:
Dear <Names Parent of child not selected to my program>:
I understand your disappointment that your child was not selected for the G/T program at this campus. Unfortunately, there is nothing that I can do for you. If you would like further assistance, please contact the Magnet Coordinator.
Given that the parent had started all of this with me, but didn't like my answer, they did not contact me; however, from that moment on, when a parent would want to argue with me about their child's placement (or lack thereof), I *always* wanted to say, "Even the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES cannot get your kid into my school." ... I never did though ...
