Friday, April 25, 2008

PARENT ALERT, PLEASE READ, VERY IMPORTANT

To every parent in the USA! Did you know that in our great country, "The United States of America," anyone who wishes to teach private music lessons to children of any age can just advertise or hang a sign outside of their home and teach children without any regulations????????? NO BACKGROUND CHECKS, NO FINGERPRINTS, NO STATE LICENSE TO SEE IF THEY EVEN KNOW MUSIC!
I'm referring to private music teachers not music teachers in schools, college's and university's.
How could something so important be so overlooked? There are millions of children taking private music lessons from private music teachers all over the USA that have NONE of the above checks done on them.
If a private music teacher doesn't want you the parents to attend your child's music lessons, BE AWARE! I require all my parents to stay at their child's music lessons at Little House of Music. I have been fingerprinted and had a background check done on me on purpose. I would also have a state license if my state would please make it mandatory for private music teachers to have a state license to see if they really do know music! ARE YOU BELIEVING THIS? What we have here is Mrs. Smith who took lessons when she was a child for three years decides to start teaching beginner students in her home. She can do it even though she is relearning what she learned as a child while she is teaching your child!!!!!!!!! Just think of all the money that has been wasted on private music lessons. Parents think every teacher is qualified! If you as an adult buy insurance or real estate from another adult, that insurance salesman and real estate salesman must have all the above check done on them and they must also have a STATE LICENSE! Selling adult to adult seems to be more important to our country than an adult working with your child. HOW CAN THIS BE? I guess you can tell by now that this is a really big issue with me and my pet peeve. I can't tell you how many times I have called, written letters to my state Representative, Senators and Governor. The latest I've heard is that we'll try to get it in the 2008 Legislative session! GEE, ISN'T THAT JUST GREAT!
Picture this in your mind: You take your child for a music lesson at the local music store, their lesson is in a little room with no windows to view and no room for the parents to attend their child's lesson. Anything could be said or done in that little room without your knowledge!
What in the world is wrong with the USA? How can state after state allow this? I know from personal experience parents like to "DROP" their child off for lessons! NO, NO, NO! NEVER!
I have asked my students parents if they know that it is not mandatory for me to have a state license to teach their child, and I don't have to be fingerprinted or have a background check done on me to teach their child. Every parent just assumes that all these checks must be done for an adult to teach a child! When I tell them that's not the fact, I wish you'd hear what they say. The parents can't believe it! SO MUCH FOR ASSUMING!
All I have left to say is I hope and pray there is no PEDOPHILE that decides to teach music and your child ends up with them for a private music teacher.
Please help me out and write and write and call and call your state Representatives, Senators and Governors. Apparently it will take every parent in the USA to get this problem solved!
Miss G, Little House of Music

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