BY NATASHA ASHE
SALISBURY POST

Some East Rowan parents are upset because they feel their children are being forced to participate in a local school’s fund-raising campaign for the new East Rowan YMCA.

Some Rockwell Elementary School parents feel their children are being pressured to buy paper bricks for $1, a fund-raiser all the east Rowan schools are using for the Y.

Parents say students who don’t participate are singled out – either having their names displayed on the classroom board or by seeing the names of those who make donations displayed – also showing those who don’t.

They also say kids have been promised parties if every student participates in the campaign.

‘‘They’re extorting money from little kids,’’ said Lisa Paddock. Paddock and her husband, Dennis, learned about the campaign from their daughter, Casey, who was upset her parents had simply forgotten to give her a $1. The Paddocks claim their daughter took money from her own piggy bank to buy a brick so that her name could be removed from the chalkboard.

‘‘They’re taking this fund-raising campaign too far,’’ Lisa Paddock said. ‘‘We would have given her the money, but we didn’t realize the extreme they were taking with this. It shouldn’t even be in the schools at all.’’

The Paddocks say their daughter is not alone. They have talked to several parents, who have complained about the pressures they received either from teachers who ask kids to bring money or fellow classmates who tease or threaten kids, because they think those students will prevent the class from earning a reward.

Rockwell Elementary Assistant Principal Pam Crowell said she is not aware of ‘‘the pressure tactics’’ parents are speaking about.

Crowell said teachers included reminders to bring brick money and permission slips for trips along with homework assignments. Crowell said she is unaware of teachers singling out students by placing names on the board.

‘‘Not to my knowledge did teachers do that,’’ she said. ‘‘If it happened it is was certainly not our intentions here at the school or the YMCA’s to pressure anyone, it is simply a matter of choice.

‘‘We made a point at beginning that we did not want anyone to be pressured. I think it was just mis communicated to parents.’’

Crowell said a eastern Rowan resident, who supports the YMCA, donated a substantial amount of money to be used for children who may not have brought in money.

‘‘We went way over our goal, and everybody gets the same reward,’’ Crowell said. Crowell said the students will get to do origami and may get refreshments.

Dwayne Hallet said he is one of those concerned parents. The father of a first and third grader at Rockwell Elementary, he says the pressure is not limited to the elementaries. He has a sixth grader at Erwin Middle where donating students’ names go on paper bricks which are displayed on the wall for everyone to see.

Hallet says he believes in fund-raising, but doesn’t believe in the techniques used to raise money in the schools with this campaign or any other.

‘‘I am against the fund-raising techniques that the school system has been using,’’ he said. ‘‘Personally, I have experienced problems that have caused my children pressure. If the child doesn’t comply, it puts them in a difficult position and they are ostracized.

‘‘It’s not only with this, but it’s happened several times. School is all about money now. When a fund-raiser is held through school or class, it’s not the children who make the choice on whether to donate, it’s the parents. But the school administration is using school as leverage to get to parents. If some kids can’t afford to donate, they get teased or maybe even beat up.’’

Hallet said his children’s’ teachers are using markers to put kids names on the board who don’t participate. Those who donate $5 or more names are displayed on the outside of the classroom and ‘‘glorified’’ leaving others to feel bad.

Hallet, who is also a member of the YMCA, says he believes in the Y and the programs it offers but is disappointed in the way campaign organizers are raising money.

‘‘My concern is not with the YMCA, it’s with the school district that allows them to use peer pressure tactics to raise money in the schools,’’ he said. ‘‘The Y is a great reason for fund-raising and work well with the schools and should work hand and hand in certain programs, but the money-raising techniques work against what schools try to achieve, which is harmony among students, not peer pressure.’’

Schools throughout Rowan helped to raise money for many organizations in the past.

School officials have policies to help raise money for organizations, but the policy states: ‘‘The schools shall not be used as collection agencies for outside organizations...’’ and ‘‘Fund-raising activities that are conducted within the schools by officially sanctioned student organizations must be approved in advance by the principal and shall not interfere in any way with the instructional program.’’

‘‘The YMCA core campaign message has been to invest in youth,’’ Crowell said. ‘‘That’s what we believe in.’’