This is funny and I REALLY hope it's true - what do you think...?

Question

SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE

This is the message that apparently a Secondary School staff in the
Midlands voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine.

This is the actual answering machine message for the school. It 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 now being threatened with legal action by
some parents who want their children's failing marks changed to passing
marks - even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the
term and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their various key
stages.

The outgoing message:

"Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school.
In order to assist you in connecting to the right member of staff,
please listen to all the options before making a selection:

* To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1

* To make excuses for why your child did not do his/her 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 letters posted to you - Press 5

* If you want us to bring up 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 transport - Press 9

* To complain about school lunches - Press 0

LASTLY:

If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable
and responsible for his/her own behaviour, class work, homework and that
it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort:

Hang up and have a really wonderful day!

Answer 1

Funny, but totally not true.
You can check out the Urban Legends page on this at Snopes.

http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/palisades.asp

Answer 2

One of the funniest was this man who was about 60, he looked like a homeless person but actually had a place to live. He obviously had some mental issues (but I'm not making fun of that). He walked all around and looked perfectly happy. I saw him in a Friendly's ice cream parlor one day sitting at the counter. He was eating an ice cream cone, had it all over his face, moustache, beard, and it just looked so cute because he didn't care, he was just lovin' it!

Answer 3

That is funny. And it is also sad that a school had to go so far as to take that insulting of a step toward the irresponsible parents of their students. My wife is a teacher and I know several other teachers. I constantly hear stories about parents who would fall into one or several of these options. Therefore, I believe this could be a real school answering machine message

Answer 4

Although funny, and as much as I'd wish it could be for real, in this day and age of sue happy lawyers, the aclu etc, there just isn't anyway that it could be done. No school district is going to invite lawsuits by ignorant parents, and that is what this would do. So, as much as it made me laugh, it can't be for real.

Answer 5

LOL IF that is really a school message,. I predict either a lawsuit, or that the person who recorded it will be fired. To expect parents to be responsible for their kids, is today a firing offense. Sad.

Answer 6

I think it makes for a funny story but that's it. Completely unprofessional if true. Teachers are suppose to set an example but this message sets a horrible one.

Answer 7

It's funny, but not true.

http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/palisades.asp

Answer 8

Completely agree, in fact, I hope it's true.

Answer 9

Talk about cutting through the crap! I love it!

Answer 10

This is what is called discipline. Somehow it is being eroded.