Then it would have been unfair to the schooled kids. Homeschoolers get a personal benefit from the prize while the school kids have to give theirs to their school? I'm having a lot of trouble with the reactions on this one. I've seen blog posts titled Subway Hates Homeschoolers and calls to boycott and all kinds of reactions that seem way overboard. I don't understand why writing to Subway, pointing out the problem from a homeschoolers POV and asking them to cnsider this next time they design a contest isn't the prime option. We're wrapped up in worrying who's discriminating against us and not paying attention to how this might look to the community at large.
Exactly, Dawn! Do we boycott Pizza Hut because they don't allow kids older than 6th grade to take part in Book-It? Isn't that discirminatory, too?
I'm just wondering if anyone has recieved a reply back from them? I have not read all the responses just the first 2 pages and this one.
Without reading all the other posts, this is how I feel: Perhaps instead of totally excluding homeschool kids they could allow a hs child to participate and if they win they could donate their winnings to a private school or public school of their choice. If a ps child won, they would be doing the same thing. That would still be inclusive but also allow others to benefit from the winnings. I am just bothered by the fact that they would not allow a home school child to participate in the actual competition part of the contest which could be an advantageous learning experience. I feel that hs moms and kids think a little differently than ps kids because everything we do is a learning experience. KWIM? The prize part doesn't bother me, just excluding a hs child from a learning experience bothers me. I forgot to add, I didn't sign the on-line petition because it is too generic for my concerns. I am going to write a letter to them and explain how I feel which can't be accurately conveyed in an on line petition.
It's still a learning experience! What about looking at the contest and rules with your kids. Discuss whether it's fair and not and various ways of viewing the issue - fairness to homeschoolers, the companies right to target an audience... Then talk about what kind of action is warranted, if any. What would be most effective? Maybe have the kids write letters to the company expressing their support or dispointment or suggestins for the company. Look, for the schooled kids, this is just another contest. For the homeschoolers, BECAUSE we're excluded, this is a much bigger learning opportunity. I should point out that even if homeschoolers were allowed to enter, my kids couldn't. Subway has excluded Canadians from entering by limiting the contest to US citizens.
Hi! I'm new.... Like many here I'm disappointed in both Subway and Scholastic for their blatant exclusion of homeschoolers from the contest. (As I had guessed,) I understand it was for the Athletic Equipment part of the prize, but it doesn't make me feel any better. You can't tell me the powers that be didn't realize that the Home Schools need not apply portion of the disclaimer was going to go unmissed by the demographic that was excluded. Many of the homeschoolers in my community participate in classes at either the parks and rec or take classes where the provider borrows space from a church or other such facility. In our case I know that the local church that we borrow space from could really use the equipment, so could my current neighborhood - though I know of more that are more needy. I guess what offends my sensibilities about this is the fact that I'm already battling my own demons so to speak. As many homeschoolers do, I'm already fighting the notion in my community that we are freaks because we don't attend the perfectly good public school that is a bus ride away. We (as a family) have to justify to parents and ILs why we choose to homeschool, when public/private school is the only logical way to go in their mind - after all its where dh and I went! I don't know my last thought is my waistline will thank me for not frequenting Subway, my dh will thank me for not spending money on Scholastic books... but as a parent I have to think about how my choice of actions affect my children but also balance what I will teach my child about standing up for what she believes in. Grumpy!
Personallly, I don't go to Subway as it is. Carl will take Rachael when they go to the club to shoot sometimes, but it's not regular. And as far as Scholastic goes, I have found too many of their books a bit questionable for my tastes. Many are just too "tolerant" or "cutting edge" for what I want my kids to read.
Regarding the Pizza Hut book it club. They don't exclude homeschoolers, they allow up to 6th grade. I feel they aren't excluding an entire group of students since they allow up to-6th grade. I think the purpose of the program is to get kids to read in the lower grades as they are learning how to read. With regard to Subway, they totally excluded homeschoolers (an entire group) no matter what grade they were in. I think they could have included homeschoolers and still make it fair to all. I truly don't believe they meant to be discriminatory toward home schoolers, perhaps a lot of thought had not been put into the fine details before unveiling their contest.
I think the Pizza Hut Bookit comment was meant to say just that--it's for a good thing, but are they discrimminating against those above 6th grade? NO! MamaBear pointed out the reason above. Here's another example: I was looking in a HUGE book on available scholarships. There are 5 pages of available scholarships---but only if you're black. There are 3 pages if you're Latino, and about that many if you're American Indian. Meaning ONLY if you're one of those ethnicities can you apply. I saw NONE that were specifically for middle class whites, which I am. Do I cry discrimmination and try to sue someone or write them letters telling them how discrimminatory they are for not including me? NO! There are different opportunities for different people, and I am thankful that everyone has opportunities for help and advancement! Plus, there are MANY other scholarships that ARE available to me that I can apply for. If I had a company, I don't think I should be required to include every possible person in the whole world in some contest I run, it's just not possible! So, yes, it would be nice if homeschoolers would have been included, but why get so mad if we're not? There are homeschool magazines that have contests for homeschoolers. The prize sometimes being "How to Homeschool" type books, or a year's free subscription to a homeschool mag. or something like that. Should all the Subway people get mad that they're "excluded" from those contests? If we look elsewhere we could find other contests that are available to homeschoolers if they want to do them! OK, I'm done with my unpopular opinion on this subject!
I think that what some are trying to say is: Whether a "student" is in public school, private school, satellite school or home school, they are all students. The part where it clearly stated "no homeschool" is what may have rubbed people the wrong way, perhaps some felt singled out and excluded. To some it could have said, "No white people" and they would feel the same way. I think in the future Subway may be more sensitive to home schoolers. I think everyone handled their feelings in a mature and dignified manner. :love:
Yes, I agree with what everyone is saying, yes there are many things out for people, but ok say when you are looking for a scholarship you go to the area that meets your needs, like if you going to cooking school you wouldn't go to a vet clinic and ask for a scholarship so I don't really think scholarship and subway are the same. Subway is a open to the public, they knew what they were doing when they printed the guide lines. Yes, they should of never of not included homeschoolers. Why because they are children too. Believe me if they had a contest for just homeschoolers there really would be a boycott. I believe it should of been open to the public that includes everyone in USA and all over where there is a subway no matter who you are or what you do. Yes, there are homeschool contest but not many, and yes there other things we could of done, but man they could of at least word it different or printed it different or something. To me it makes it sounds like we have some kind of disease that everyone will get because we homeschool. I also think homeschool gets enough bad rap we don't need a big place like subway doing this to us.
I know, I DO see those points, and I agree it should have been better thought through. They chose to have a give-away of $5000 in sports equipment for a large amount of kids, so considered homeschoolers not a part of that. OBVIOUSLY someone didn't do their homework, and didn't realize how many homeschoolers actually DO socialize , and that we CAN use the equipment for our homeschool coops and other groups! Here's why I felt that my example of the scholarships is a good one: There was one I saw that looked so neat, and was LARGE! It would be a good one for my oldest to apply for. I WANTED that---but it was only for Blacks. Scholarships are open to the public, and ANYONE can try out for them---except when they specifically state otherwise, which it did in this case. Why can't I, as a middle-class white person try for that scholarship? I guess it's just the way that one was set up. My ds is a good student too, and should be included, shouldn't he? Whether a student is black or yellow or white, they're still a student, right? The part that says "Black/Latino/American Indian only" could rub some people the wrong way too, couldn't it? Just like saying homeschoolers weren't allowed in the Subway contest rubbed people the wrong way. I guess I'm just saying, "You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time!" I just think putting so much anger and frustration into this takes up time and doesn't seem worth it TO ME. (Notice I said to me. I totally understand where ya'll are coming from though! Just throwing out another point of view.)
Someone else pointed out, this is a lesson also, a learning experience. This can be a lesson to teach our children that it is okay to stand up for what you believe in. We all have opinions and that is our luxury of living in the good ol' US of A, we can voice our opinions without fear of persecution. I don't feel anyone is crying they are a victim, I feel that those who feel Subway could of handled the situation differently is just saying that homeschoolers count too, our kids are also students and we just wanted our kids to be included in the learning experience. After all, I do believe that Subway is a public establishment and open to homeschoolers if they wish to buy their sandwiches, we just can't be a part of their contest.
The difference between scholarships and Subway is pretty basic: Scholarships are primarily given by private organizations that do not cater to the general public. Even the government agencies that give scholarships are race/gender specific. Subway is not an organization that was established with a specific purpose that would allow for discrimination.
I'll throw my .02 into this subject. Subway should have, and hopefully will in the future, include all children in their contests. They should just put an area on their form for homeschoolers to fill out additional information. As an example: If you're a homeschooled child, please advise us as to which school you would like the equipment to go to should you win____________. I think Subway wants the equipment to go to a school, not to a park, co-op, or Church. I can accept that and I understand it too. I just think all children should be allowed to enter. I also agree with what others have said about this being a good learning experience for our homeschooled children. It is a form of discrimination and one that I know my children will understand. It is hard for a middle-class white child to really understand discrimination, as they normally are not discriminated against.
Ya know, I don't think it was appropriate necessarily for Subway and Scholastic to create a contest in which homeschoolers specifically cannot participate. At least not and advertise it the ways they have; they do this kind of thing all the time IN the schools and we don't care, because we don't even know most of the time. My kids don't care that they can't participate, cuz I'm not gonna tell 'em! We can just as easily find something else. And if we were really that outraged about our homeschooled kids not getting EXACTLY the same opportunities as the ps kids do, we'd put them in ps. Homeschooling is about finding our OWN opportunities, is it not? Screw it. Find something else to do.
