Run It Like A Business

Pre-School may be a slightly different animal, but I think the main point is the same - privatization of any kind of schooling takes the last tiny bit of democracy out of the equation.

Flowery mission statements notwithstanding, if you take a top-down authoritarian thing like a church and mix it up with another top-down authoritarian thing like a business, and then smash-fit it around a school, what you get is:  "Give us your money and either shut the fuck up or get the fuck out".

Via HuffPo:

One Florida mother's Facebook status didn't go over so well with her son's preschool.

Mother Ashley Habat recently complained on Facebook after the Sonshine Christian Academy didn't give enough notice about picture day. Even though Habat said her Facebook post was private, she still tagged the school, and the next day she was reportedly told by school administrators that the school would not be a good fit for her son, according to Jacksonville, Florida outlet WJXT-TV.

In the post in question, Habat asked: “Why is it that every single day there is something new I dislike about Will's School? Are my standards really too high or are people working in the education field really just that ignorant.”A letter of dismissal given to Habat from the school said her “relationship with Sonshine did not get off to a very good start the first day of school," stating that she "utilized social media to call into question not only the integrity but the intelligence of our staff. ... These actions are also consistent with sowing discord, which is spoken of in the handbook you signed."

And from News4Jax:

The principal of Sonshine Christian Academy sent News4JAX a response saying, "This is private matter involving the school and a parent." also saying "Due to my concern for families, I am unable to comment on specifics of this situation."

Epic fail from a Customer Relations standpoint.  Ms Habat seems a bit hyper-critical, and maybe she's just somebody who's always slamming people for whatever reasons.  But there're some important tenets of How Not To Fuck Up Your Business:

• You'll have to go outa your way to accommodate some customers, but it's usually worth the trip.
• "Revenue Reduction" is not part of our business plan...
• ...so don't fire the fucking customers.

And now it's a near-epic fail from a PR standpoint because the word is out on Facebook about how rotten this woman thinks that school is, but the the kicker is the classic Non-Statement Statement from the principal - "Due to my concern for families..."  Yeah, that's it, pal - cuz whenever you've got a problem, it's always a good idea to hide behind the children.  You gutless bean-counting Jesus-pimping phony.