insurance

[paul bruesch]

At a school I've tuned at, a foreign exchange student came into the room
where I was tuning. I asked her if she was scheduled to be there, and all I
got was a blank look. She sat down at a piano and played one piece, and
played beautifully.

I later told a tuner/friend about it. He said "DO NOT, under ANY
circumstances, let a student be alone in a room with you!!"  It only took me
about a nano-second to understand what he was saying and I realized what
ugly potential it had... despite that there were windows into the main band
room from where I was.  Yup, sad.

The district where my kids go (6th and 8th grades) implemented a policy a
couple years ago whereby any parent would have to have a background check in
order to go on field trips, volunteer in a classroom, etc. Despite my
10-parent-years experience at the one elementary school, I would have to do
this, too, just to go on a field trip with my own kid. I refused to do it
and declined to participate in any further such activities at the schools.

What scares me tho' is what generally passes for "security" anywhere. "Sign
in please" (at schools, PTG chapter mtg building, etc.)  On several
occasions I've been known (or not) to write Ethel Schnickelbinder, or Tom
Cruise, or Madeline Albright.  They give me a pass without so much as
glancing at the signin sheet. What good does it do to have me transfer some
graphite to wood fibers if they aren't going to even look at it, much less
check my ID?  (Then again I get carded at the grocery store buying
non-alcholic malt beverage, which I can legally drink while driving a car in
Minnesota, even tho' I'm 55 years old!!)

Paul Bruesch
Stillwater, MN

On Jan 29, 2008 3:42 PM, Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>  Does insurance which PTG members buy on their business (I know, I've been
> avoiding the obviously necessary),  cover sexual harrassment issues?   I've
> tuned for a school district for years, with not a problem.  But next year
> Texas State law will require fingerprinting.  In the district where I have
> tuned, a retired teacher doing a long-term substitute position has already
> been accused of "bruising a girl".  This is a man of such expertise and
> character that it would be appropriate to introduce him as "The Esteemed Mr.
> X".  Next year it will be state law in Texas that all persons who have
> contact with students be fingerprinted.
>
> I've talked to two teachers who have said it is not legally required to
> carry personal liability insurance over and above what the district has, but
> if they don't have such they are incredibly stupid.
>
> The level of implied guilt this threatens really bothers me, and teachers
> have said it should. I have sent a draft of my resignation letter to two
> administrators, one of whom has already informed me that for my own safety I
> am wise to get out of the district.    This, after two days ago having an
> orchestra director find me an hour after tuning in her room to thank me for
> spending time with a couple of her students who were so excited to learn a
> few things and get a chance to tune a note or two.    It's incredibly sad,
> this world in which we live.
>
> So, how is this handled by others who do elementary and high schools?  I
> am thinking seriously of telling the attendence people that I wish a
> security person or an administrator walk me to my work area in every school.
>
> les bartlett
>
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