Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 10, 1993 TAG: 9311110506
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Paid for by angry parent Roy Yopp, the advertisement was headlined ``WARNING'' and included
the following text: ``Parents whose children are working a job for a grade in school should be cautious of the situation their children are entering. The child might be placed in a dangerous situation and possibly be taken advantage of.''
Richard Ballengee, Montgomery's supervisor of vocational programs, rejected the suggestion that any employers exploit student workers. ``It's damaging to our programs, particularly to those businesses and industries that participate,'' he said.
Yopp said he purposely did not identify the business, the school division, any details or even list his name because he cannot prove his suspicions involving the firing of his teen-age daughter.
But he stands by his belief that some employers, because they hold the leverage of helping to determine a student's grade, exploit the work relationship. Students are ``getting put between a rock and a hard place,'' Yopp said.
He believes that happened to two of his other children eight years ago, though he again declined to discuss details.
This fall, Yopp`s 17-year-old daughter was fired from a vocational education job and will receive an ``F'' for the six-week grading period, he said. Though an official with the company claimed two customers had complained about his daughter, Yopp said the firing came soon after he and his wife called the business to complain about work conditions.
He declined to discuss those conditions in detail, but did say he was particularly upset his daughter had to stand outside the locked business late at night after her shift ended, waiting for her parents to come pick her up. Company officials said she couldn't wait inside while money was being counted, Yopp said.
Ballengee said he is investigating the complaint and that a teacher had gone by to speak with the employer. ``We're looking into it to see if there was anything we could have done to have prevented her dismissal,'' he said. He said the teacher is seeking another job for Yopp's daughter.
Ballengee wondered why the Roanoke Times & World-News published the advertisement without considering its impact on teachers, parents and students across the New River Valley. ``I can't imagine the paper running this darn ad,'' he said.
Larry Ward, advertising manager for the newspaper's New River bureau, said his staff would not have accepted the ad - which was labeled ``Paid Advertisement'' - if it had named names or made potentially libelous statements.
Approximately 200 high school juniors and seniors in Montgomery County participate in the retail, nursing, office work and child-care programs, under which they spend half the day in class, and the other half working for pay and a grade, Ballengee said.
Students, parents and employers sign a training agreement before the teen-ager begins work, he said. Moreover, teachers visit the student at work to make sure they're receiving proper instruction and have a safe work environment.
by CNB