Too Generous

slacker · December 26, 2006

Irregular News for 12.26.06

Canada -- Stephanie Templeton, 8, arrived on two separate occasions with a bag full of canned goods for her North York school's food drive.

On Tuesday when Stephanie arrived with her second load of six cans, her teacher at Derrydown Public School in the Keele St. and Finch Ave. W. area sent them back home with her because she was making other students feel bad, Stephanie's dad, Frank Templeton, said yesterday.

"The teacher said she was showing up the other kids," the shocked father said. "We teach her to do the best she can, and they basically just stuffed the cans back in her knapsack and sent her home with them."

Stephanie said in Grade 2 at the same school they had a competition to see who could give the most number of cans but this year's teacher set a limit of four cans per student.

The undaunted 8-year-old said she still wants to give more and more.

"I want to help people who are suffering without food," Stephanie said. "We have lots of food and it makes me feel good to give it to people."

Principal Yvonne Castello said the teacher was worried Stephanie was collecting food with a little too much zeal.

"The teacher was a little concerned," Castello said. "She didn't want any of the other kids to feel pressured -- especially those kids who aren't able to bring anything."

She said it was not school policy to limit the amount of food a student could donate.

The school late yesterday accepted Stephanie's extra donations.

The food drive started Dec. 1 and was Derrydown's most successful food drive ever, the principal said.

Castello is proud of her school's contributions -- 20 boxes of food to the North York Harvest Food bank as well as another eight boxes and a wheelbarrow full of food for the Jane-Finch Community, she said.

The school also sponsors a child in South Africa and helps out the families of its own students who are in need.

But Frank Templeton said all his daughter was trying to do was help out all those who benefit from the school.

"I didn't think there was any limit. "If I want to send in 300 pounds of food they should be able to accept it," he said.

source

admo · December 26, 2006

That's sad. The world is so touchy & sensative that they miss the point of giving. This kind of stuff happens all the time anymore. If you rise above mediocrity they try to pull you down. Congrats to the kid that wants to give & help others!!!

Touchdown Tommie · December 27, 2006

The teacher didn't want the other kids to feel bad b/c this girl wants to help people??? What a joke!!! You are right Addison, the world is too touchy and some seem to think that mediocrity is accepted.

Nicole · December 27, 2006

That's sad. The world is so touchy & sensative that they miss the point of giving. This kind of stuff happens all the time anymore. If you rise above mediocrity they try to pull you down. Congrats to the kid that wants to give & help others!!!

The teacher didn't want the other kids to feel bad b/c this girl wants to help people??? What a joke!!! You are right Addison, the world is too touchy and some seem to think that mediocrity is accepted.

:yeah