This is the funniest answering machine message I've seen!
By estherlou
@estherlou (5015)
United States
August 26, 2007 12:40pm CST
Don't know if it is true or not, but just got this in an email. Thought I'd share. I think it is awesome. Parents should be more responsible about their kids and schooling.
This is the message that the Pacific Palisades High School ( California ) staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine. *This is the actual answering machine message for the school*.
This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework. The school and teachers are being* sued by parents* who want their children's failing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children were absent* 15-30 times* during the semester and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their classes.
The outgoing message:
"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school.
In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection:
* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
* To mak e excu ses for why your child did not do his work - Press 2
* To complain about what we do - Press 3
* To swear at staff members - Press 4
* To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5
* If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
* If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
* To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8
* To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
* To complain about school lunches - Press 0
* If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!
*If you want this in Spanish, you must be in the wrong country.
5 people like this
17 responses
@AmbiePam (96083)
• United States
26 Aug 07
Oh, I love it! It's about time the school system and the parents who use hold the right people responsible. If children aren't taught responsibility early on, where exactly are they supposed to learn it? Schools are not for raising children, parents are.
2 people like this
@Modestah (11177)
• United States
26 Aug 07
I agree with you completely, but also think that while it is the parents responsibility the school system makes it difficult, they keep adding programs to teach what should be taught in the home and taking away from programs that should be taught in the school. the children spend more and more hours at the school, with after school activities and day care etc and less and less with their family. the school feeds the kids breakfast, lunch, and perhaps in some cases dinner.
those who grew up in the schools doing all this will probably not know much about doing for their own children when they have them, and will shirk their responsibilities trusting the school system to raise their child - a vicious cycle has begun.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
26 Aug 07
I loved that. All schools should have an answering message like that one. I wonder if any of the parents took them up on these offers. And I wonder what one of the school staff answered it? The football or wrestling coach, or maybe the boxing and martial arts instructor. It would get to be a very interesting conversation.
2 people like this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
26 Aug 07
I love it! Unfortunately, there are many districts where this would cause someone to be fired.
2 people like this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
26 Aug 07
That is so great! It would be nice if a school was brave enough to do something like that...but unfortunately, they're all probably too afraid of the lawsuits and offended people.
I'm going to forward this on...it was definitely worth sharing! Thanks!
2 people like this
@whimsystoryteller (1743)
• United States
26 Aug 07
This is priceless! I'm going to copy it and send it to every one I know. I especially like the last part about speaking Spanish. When I was in court the other day, they gave the announcements in Spanish before English, which I deeply resent! This is the United States not Mexico! We speak English here and if people want to live here, they need to learn our language and quit expecting us to learn theirs. It's absolutely absurd and completely arrogant for people to come to this country and expect us to pamper them for being here illegally!
2 people like this
@pamcake (276)
• United States
26 Aug 07
Haha! I got this in an e-mail quite some time ago and I'm glad you posted it as it makes me laugh just as much now as it did then! I think it could have been real. I'm sure they got into some trouble for it but if that's what it takes to get your point across..hey! A lot of parents blame the schools for different things like their children's failing grades for example. It happens all over not just in the uppity parts of the states. The parents just need to take some responsibility themselves. They are teaching their children that they can go through life blaming their failures on other people. Real or not...it makes a great point, and it's funny:)
2 people like this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
30 Aug 07
I think this is a hoax. Surely every school would like to record a message like this but would not dare. All the point made are valid and someone should tell the parents to their face that they are not doing their job. Can you imagine the outrage that would ensue if a school actually did this. I wish they could.
@mytwo_daughters (2663)
• United States
26 Aug 07
well school districts are very difficult to deal with. I have a special needs kid, and sometimes she does forget her homework. We are going to work on that this year, as well as get my house more organized. Abby is really good at goofing off, and not wanting to do what she is supposed to. I do know that first hand and I am supposing it is just as frustrating for the teachers as it is for me! That is a funny answering machine though, but I can understand how that would piss someone off! If I was having problems at that school, it wouldn't make me happy.
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
26 Aug 07
I think the discussion was dealing with the aggravation of the type of kids who habitually like to skip or don't ever want to turn in work, or who make it a habit to be trouble makers to garner attention from their peers. Your child is not that type of child, ans she has a parent who is attentive and supportive and looking out for her best interests! I think some parents take it for granted that their kids are doing what they are supposed to be doing in school. As for the phone message...I can't imagine it would really be that way...just wishful thinking on the part of a frustrated office worker!
@sweetgirl_k1 (3972)
• United States
27 Aug 07
Oh my goodness. I doubt that is real because I would think they would get in trouble for putting a message like that on their machine. It is funny though.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
26 Aug 07
True or not I think it was great (especially the Spanish part). Maybe there are some myLot members who can suggest it be used in their local schools!! LOL
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11177)
• United States
26 Aug 07
clever, but I doubt that it is real. probably someone else's idea I do not think the school could get away with it considering it is tax payers money that runs the place. it is clever but I do not think that such animosity will solve any issues.
1 person likes this
@tdbrower1969 (1242)
• United States
27 Aug 07
This is great! I bet if this was the message on the answering machine, a lot of people would be amazed and think about what they are doing! I know that there is no way it could be real, but it might help keep kids in school and on the right track if they and their parents had to listen to this every time they tried to call in sick or anything! Thanks for sharing this!
@mkirby624 (1598)
• United States
27 Aug 07
This is FANTASTIC!! :-D I wish the school I worked at would put that on their answering machine!!!!!
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
27 Aug 07
This is great. The school is on to something with this one. I wonder if it is really true. The schools can only do so much with the kids. If they don't want to learn I don't think there is much they can do.
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
27 Aug 07
Hi estherlou! That is really funny but I must admit that is the most direct way to make parents have a reality check regarding their attitudes towards their children and their schooling. It is really good. Haha..But of course, if I am the parent and I am complaining about something I will be kinda offended thnking that the school is not taking me seriously or maybe it hit a nerve somehow. Take care and have a nice dajavascript:__doPostBack('ctl00$cphMainContent$lbStart','')
post responsey!
