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  #61  
Old 02-06-2020, 07:40 AM
dneal dneal is offline
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The notion of impropriety would seem to be based on doing something for one particular student that the teacher potentially doesn't do for all students. So theoretically the OP arranges for AGF to purchase a $200 guitar for the student in question. To the best of my knowledge, neither AGF nor the OP has ever done this for any other student.

So what happens when the parents of student #2 want a new guitar for their son or daughter? Once one has set a precedent, it makes it either hard to say "No" or it smacks of favoritism if other students don't have the same opportunity. It doesn't really matter where the actual dollars came from to purchase the guitar because the optic is that Mr. So-and-So either gets guitars for students who want/need them or only does so for his favorite students...
The crux of the issue is the idea that what is done for one must be done for all. That simply isn't true. Several years ago, I gave a fellow AGF'er my Larrivee OM. Should I not have done that?

In our relatively recent search for "fairness", we've created societal norms that limit recognition for excellence. Participation trophies being a great example, are shown to do more harm than good. More often, and what you advocate in this case, is that we do not do for one if we can't do for all. That just ends up doing for no one.

Conversely, we all see the "feel good" stories where people are recognized and rewarded. Mike Rowe's "Returning the Favor" series comes to mind. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and this situation falls more in that category. It's ok that an individual student gets rewarded. It's healthy for other students to learn to share in the recognition, rather than believe they should be jealous because they didn't get one too.

I agree that a teacher shouldn't give a student a new guitar. There are lots of reasons, including societal position, age, gender, etc... The AGF doing it absolves those appearances of impropriety.

I think the OP should speak with the parents, let them know he's noticed her talent, and that there is a group that would like to donate a guitar to her. With their consent, proceed (or don't).
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  #62  
Old 02-06-2020, 07:47 AM
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The crux of the issue is the idea that what is done for one must be done for all. That simply isn't true. Several years ago, I gave a fellow AGF'er my Larrivee OM. Should I not have done that?
With all due respect, if you honestly don't see the differences between the two scenarios then there's not much I can say to better explain why a teacher giving a $200 guitar to an unrelated student who comes to the teacher's classroom at lunch time is not a good idea, no matter how well intended...
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  #63  
Old 02-06-2020, 07:56 AM
seannx seannx is offline
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I like the idea of having it come through the AGF. To avoid any problems related to favoritism, the public story for the OP can be that there is an organization (in this case the AGF), that supports young artists with instruments.
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  #64  
Old 02-06-2020, 08:11 AM
Bluesra Bluesra is offline
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This is a timely thread, I just installed a bone nut and saddle on my first acoustic guitar that I bought 12 years ago; my Yamaha FG700S. I hadn't played it in years but picked it up again a couple months ago and realized how fun it is to play, especially strumming.

I see that it now sells for about $150, but I believe I paid around $200 when I bought it. I remember going to guitar center and trying every acoustic they had under $300. The FG700S sounded better than the more expensive models so it was an easy buy. I don't own any high end acoustics so I'm easy to please, my Seagull S6 and 70s Yamaha FG75 are my frequent players but the FG700s with the bone nut and saddle sound great to my ears.
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Old 02-06-2020, 08:19 AM
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I like the idea of having it come through the AGF. To avoid any problems related to favoritism, the public story for the OP can be that there is an organization (in this case the AGF), that supports young artists with instruments.
Conjuring up a false cover story is never a good way to explain an action that's called into question. Having the school or a school-based organization provide the guitar to this, and potentially other, students is the best way to make this work...

Last edited by RP; 02-06-2020 at 08:48 AM.
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  #66  
Old 02-06-2020, 08:39 AM
dneal dneal is offline
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Originally Posted by RP View Post
With all due respect, if you honestly don't see the differences between the two scenarios then there's not much I can say to better explain why a teacher giving a $200 guitar to an unrelated student who comes to the teacher's classroom at lunch time is not a good idea, no matter how well intended...
With all due respect, if you honestly don't see that your specific notions of the circumstances and possibilities aren't the only ones; then there's not much more I can say either.
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  #67  
Old 02-06-2020, 09:06 AM
seannx seannx is offline
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Conjuring up a false cover story is never a good way to explain an action that's called into question. Having the school or a school-based organization provide the guitar to this, and potentially other, students is the best way to make this work...
I don’t view this as a cover story. Characterizing it as “the public story” was probably a bad choice of words. We’ve seen the generosity of members in this thread wanting to contribute, and I think that if another member was in a similar situation, and knew of a young, deserving artist who could benefit from a better guitar, plenty of us would like to help. I’m not suggesting that the OP gift the guitar, and then say it was from the AGF. Rather that those of us who would like to contribute (and 8 at $25 each would do it) fund the purchase. This gets around the favoritism concerns, and it’s something we could do for other promising youth.
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  #68  
Old 02-06-2020, 09:19 AM
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I like the idea of having it come through the AGF. To avoid any problems related to favoritism, the public story for the OP can be that there is an organization (in this case the AGF), that supports young artists with instruments.
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...I’m not suggesting that the OP gift the guitar, and then say it was from the AGF....

My mistake....
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  #69  
Old 02-06-2020, 11:52 AM
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For the record, the original intent of this thread did not appear to be a solicitation of funds. However the donation of funds has been discussed many times. Please use Private Messages to talk about any donation of funds.
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  #70  
Old 02-06-2020, 02:02 PM
AgentKooper AgentKooper is offline
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I agree that an expensive gift from a teacher to a student has at least the potential to be problematic.

But why does it have to be a gift at all? Buy the Yamaha for your classroom and establish a process whereby any student can check it out and take it home for the night with permission from their parents (or just do that with the beater Seagull). The student you wrote about may be the only one who even wants to play it, and then there's no problem. And if you end up encouraging some other young players, all the better.
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Last edited by AgentKooper; 02-06-2020 at 02:09 PM.
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