anonymous6270
New member
New Jersey
Hi there! A few peers and I have drafted a Grievance Letter to our school district and want to make sure that this letter is clear of anything that could pose as a future legal issue. Names have been redacted. Thank you so much!
To whom it may concern,
I hope all is well. I write to you with concern for future students as a former student of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, now a freshman in college and unenrolled from XXXXX. This email has been in the making for two years in collaboration with peers and other consultants, and I am content to deliver this to you in good faith.
Article I
Current, past, and present students at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (herein referred to as the “school”) of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (herein referred to as the “District”) have grave concerns regarding general administration that I believe is important in making the district aware about, including concerns regarding professionalism and policy violations that have impacted students’ learning environment.
These concerns are particularly regarding Ms. PERSON A, Principal of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, and Ms. PERSON B, Supervisor of the SCHOOL MAGNET PROGRAM (herein referred to as “PROGRAM NAME”).
Article II
I’ll preface with my own experience followed by anonymous concerns from current students who are too scared to confront Administration.
On September of 2016, as a Freshman enrolled in the PROGRAM NAME, I had proposed the opening of a club at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX which was to be the branch of a newly incorporated non-for-profit organization with the intent of providing students with genuine clinical volunteer opportunities. This caught the attention of Ms. PERSON B, where in an email exchange we had agreed to meet (the three of us) in the office of Ms. PERSON A to discuss the program.
Ms. PERSON A's demeanor was unwelcoming from the start. The following had occurred in our exchange of dialogue:
Ms. PERSON A had discouraged me from the continuation of the program, and had imposed on me a great deal of anxiety and upset despite the tremendous effort my peers and I had instituted into the organization.
Quoted is an email I had received from Ms. PERSON B on September 9, 2016:
[“Dear XXXXXXXXX
Thank you for discussing ORGANIZATION NAME with Mrs. PERSON A and myself today.
To recap:
1. ORGANIZATION NAME does not have the DISTRICT and SCHOOL permission to conduct it's business at SCHOOL or within the DISTRICT MAGNET PROGRAM NAME.
2. No affiliation with DITRICT, HIGH SCHOOL, and the MAGNET PROGRAM NAME is permitted. This includes within the ORGANIZATION NAME website and any other printed materials.
3. You will remove as of September 10, 2016 the statement on the "Meet the Directors" page stating "MAGNET PROGRAM NAME".
Mrs. PERSON B”]
The organization in question is now known as the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX a certified nonprofit organization operating on a national scale, with over 2,500 volunteer connections, and an official Training Provider of the American Heart Association and American Safety & Health Institute. XXXXXX is newly responsible for the XXXXXXXX Bill, a new bill that would require students to provide proof of CPR, AED, and First-Aid Training sponsored by XXXXXXXX. XXXXXX has appeared on many news outlets, has been recognized and commemorated by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, and is continuing to germinate with the mission statement of effectuating global change within the global realm of medical science, despite the strong discouragement from Ms. PERSON A. We are currently advocating for young women in medicine, and are launching an initiative to support Mental Health Awareness. It upsets me that my own school was not supportive and could not be apart of this.
Article III
Additionally, I have obtained an email sent from Ms. PERSON A following the meeting, intended to be sent to another faculty member within DISTRICT that discloses confidential medical information regarding an Illness I have that neither my legal guardians nor I had provided consent in disclosing. It is clear that Ms. PERSON A had violated my right to privacy as a student. This is something I am willing to absolve given that the conditions below are met.
Article IV
Although, I was only a member of the MAGNET PROGRAM for less than a year, I have close relations with upperclassmen and current students in the MAGNET PROGRAM who have urged me to include their comments within this letter. These items bulleted do not express my personal experience or entirely represent my beliefs and are the contributions, opinions, and comments of those who would wish to stay anonymous:
Article V
The intent of this letter is not to render inconvenience to the District or its administration, nor is it to exhaust unnecessary resources. Our intent is to make the district aware of such concerns for the benefit and wellbeing of future students.
Students at XXXXXXXXX indeed really do care about one another, and there is a true XXXXXX Spirit that resonates amongst the student body and staff, however, many high-performing students have come to the consensus of recognizing the administration as antagonizing, manipulative, and mean.
I believe that an academic institution is meant to teach both inside and outside of the classroom by adults leading through example. I hate to admit that in Press Interviews, I have to share that the success and growth of my organization was as a result of motivation for being looked down upon and discouraged by my own High School.
Students have difficulty learning under an administration that does not provide a positive, warm, welcoming, and transparent environment.
Article VI
Current students, past students, and I are asking for your support in this manner, by responding to this letter within thirty (30) days of its receipt, containing just the following:
As the District acknowledges the voice of former students and pledges to improvements, the community can begin to appreciate that the District is a responsible and supportive organization that truly cares about the student body which we have no doubt does.
Article VII
Support in this manner is encouraged, and discussions on how the administration can be more supportive to its students are also appreciated.
Because this matter is sensitive and important to us, we would like to see quick internal steps towards resolution before us past and present students seek further democratic actions which may include, but are not limited to, the reproduction of this letter, consultation of press and media, consultation of other third-party resources. We would like to not pursue these actions, but recognize it as an accessible option for the promotion of our intention.
Several members of the community, including members of the media, are eager and prepared for this response.
Article VIII
To reiterate, this message carries the intention of improving the school’s learning environment by promoting action from the District. This letter complies with our First Amendment Right under the United States Constitution and does not violate any civil laws or liberties. All statements contained herein are merely the expressed concerns of the persons described.
For communication purposes regarding this letter, I can be reached at:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Some contributors and editors to this letter have agreed to waive their anonymity and/or professional affiliation should the District make an effort towards improvement.
Your consideration is sincerely appreciated.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXXX
& Anonymous Former and Current Students of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hi there! A few peers and I have drafted a Grievance Letter to our school district and want to make sure that this letter is clear of anything that could pose as a future legal issue. Names have been redacted. Thank you so much!
To whom it may concern,
I hope all is well. I write to you with concern for future students as a former student of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, now a freshman in college and unenrolled from XXXXX. This email has been in the making for two years in collaboration with peers and other consultants, and I am content to deliver this to you in good faith.
Article I
Current, past, and present students at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (herein referred to as the “school”) of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (herein referred to as the “District”) have grave concerns regarding general administration that I believe is important in making the district aware about, including concerns regarding professionalism and policy violations that have impacted students’ learning environment.
These concerns are particularly regarding Ms. PERSON A, Principal of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, and Ms. PERSON B, Supervisor of the SCHOOL MAGNET PROGRAM (herein referred to as “PROGRAM NAME”).
Article II
I’ll preface with my own experience followed by anonymous concerns from current students who are too scared to confront Administration.
On September of 2016, as a Freshman enrolled in the PROGRAM NAME, I had proposed the opening of a club at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX which was to be the branch of a newly incorporated non-for-profit organization with the intent of providing students with genuine clinical volunteer opportunities. This caught the attention of Ms. PERSON B, where in an email exchange we had agreed to meet (the three of us) in the office of Ms. PERSON A to discuss the program.
Ms. PERSON A's demeanor was unwelcoming from the start. The following had occurred in our exchange of dialogue:
- Ms. PERSON A had expressed how she was annoyed several times with me regarding the program
- That the program had invoked liability concerns
- That we were unwelcome to express on our website that the original founders of the organization were students of the MAGNET PROGRAM. (Which does not violate the District Terms of Use or any standing policy)
- She had began to question the medical professionals listed on our website, saying she has never heard of them and therefore they must not be credible
- Had even printed almost every single page of our organization’s website, with words and sentences circled, highlighted, and notes written within the margins. These were placed in a folder titled “ORGANIZATION NAME”.
- The meeting had concluded informally as Ms. PERSON A had returned to her desk from the meeting table to resume her normal work without speaking a word despite my respectful and wishful farewell.
Ms. PERSON A had discouraged me from the continuation of the program, and had imposed on me a great deal of anxiety and upset despite the tremendous effort my peers and I had instituted into the organization.
Quoted is an email I had received from Ms. PERSON B on September 9, 2016:
[“Dear XXXXXXXXX
Thank you for discussing ORGANIZATION NAME with Mrs. PERSON A and myself today.
To recap:
1. ORGANIZATION NAME does not have the DISTRICT and SCHOOL permission to conduct it's business at SCHOOL or within the DISTRICT MAGNET PROGRAM NAME.
2. No affiliation with DITRICT, HIGH SCHOOL, and the MAGNET PROGRAM NAME is permitted. This includes within the ORGANIZATION NAME website and any other printed materials.
3. You will remove as of September 10, 2016 the statement on the "Meet the Directors" page stating "MAGNET PROGRAM NAME".
Mrs. PERSON B”]
The organization in question is now known as the XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX a certified nonprofit organization operating on a national scale, with over 2,500 volunteer connections, and an official Training Provider of the American Heart Association and American Safety & Health Institute. XXXXXX is newly responsible for the XXXXXXXX Bill, a new bill that would require students to provide proof of CPR, AED, and First-Aid Training sponsored by XXXXXXXX. XXXXXX has appeared on many news outlets, has been recognized and commemorated by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, and is continuing to germinate with the mission statement of effectuating global change within the global realm of medical science, despite the strong discouragement from Ms. PERSON A. We are currently advocating for young women in medicine, and are launching an initiative to support Mental Health Awareness. It upsets me that my own school was not supportive and could not be apart of this.
Article III
Additionally, I have obtained an email sent from Ms. PERSON A following the meeting, intended to be sent to another faculty member within DISTRICT that discloses confidential medical information regarding an Illness I have that neither my legal guardians nor I had provided consent in disclosing. It is clear that Ms. PERSON A had violated my right to privacy as a student. This is something I am willing to absolve given that the conditions below are met.
Article IV
Although, I was only a member of the MAGNET PROGRAM for less than a year, I have close relations with upperclassmen and current students in the MAGNET PROGRAM who have urged me to include their comments within this letter. These items bulleted do not express my personal experience or entirely represent my beliefs and are the contributions, opinions, and comments of those who would wish to stay anonymous:
- “Fabrication of statistics regarding college acceptances from the MAGNET PROGRAM.”
- “Teachers do not care about the students well-being and promote students to withdraw from the program if they can’t handle it.”
- “Multiple personnel promised to have attended the XXXXXXXXX Symposium that were absent and many students were upset as a result of this. The administration does not appear to take the MAGNET PROGRAM seriously, as the principal herself prioritizes the senior class trip over attending a symposium that the XXXXXX students have worked so hard all year for.”
- “Administration of the MAGNET PROGRAM are also extremely impersonal and disregard the feelings that students have, which is evident by the director of the program not even being able to remember her programs’ students names.”
- “Multiple teachers had mentioned that they ‘had been taking up the XXXXX class for extra pay’, and had warned us that hardly any XXXXXX student had pass the class decently.”
Article V
The intent of this letter is not to render inconvenience to the District or its administration, nor is it to exhaust unnecessary resources. Our intent is to make the district aware of such concerns for the benefit and wellbeing of future students.
Students at XXXXXXXXX indeed really do care about one another, and there is a true XXXXXX Spirit that resonates amongst the student body and staff, however, many high-performing students have come to the consensus of recognizing the administration as antagonizing, manipulative, and mean.
I believe that an academic institution is meant to teach both inside and outside of the classroom by adults leading through example. I hate to admit that in Press Interviews, I have to share that the success and growth of my organization was as a result of motivation for being looked down upon and discouraged by my own High School.
Students have difficulty learning under an administration that does not provide a positive, warm, welcoming, and transparent environment.
Article VI
Current students, past students, and I are asking for your support in this manner, by responding to this letter within thirty (30) days of its receipt, containing just the following:
- An acknowledgement that students are upset with the current administration.
- A promise to start making efforts towards a positive, respectful, and embraceful learning environment for the students.
As the District acknowledges the voice of former students and pledges to improvements, the community can begin to appreciate that the District is a responsible and supportive organization that truly cares about the student body which we have no doubt does.
Article VII
Support in this manner is encouraged, and discussions on how the administration can be more supportive to its students are also appreciated.
Because this matter is sensitive and important to us, we would like to see quick internal steps towards resolution before us past and present students seek further democratic actions which may include, but are not limited to, the reproduction of this letter, consultation of press and media, consultation of other third-party resources. We would like to not pursue these actions, but recognize it as an accessible option for the promotion of our intention.
Several members of the community, including members of the media, are eager and prepared for this response.
Article VIII
To reiterate, this message carries the intention of improving the school’s learning environment by promoting action from the District. This letter complies with our First Amendment Right under the United States Constitution and does not violate any civil laws or liberties. All statements contained herein are merely the expressed concerns of the persons described.
For communication purposes regarding this letter, I can be reached at:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Some contributors and editors to this letter have agreed to waive their anonymity and/or professional affiliation should the District make an effort towards improvement.
Your consideration is sincerely appreciated.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXXX
& Anonymous Former and Current Students of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
