Bartender. That’s what a 4th grader said for the yearbook when they asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, an answer the school asks him to change.
Zachary Anderson goes to Whyte Ridge School and was asked the question last week.
“It’s a way to be creative,” said Anderson, who has an uncle who is a bartender. “You can socialize and meet new people.”
Anderson’s teacher — and later the school administration — asked him to change his answer, which he did not want to do.
As a commitment, the school offered to make a separate yearbook for Anderson and his twin brother who are in the same class, with their two copies saying “waitress,” while everyone else reads “hospitality.” .
Anderson refused.
“Instead of making a big deal out of it, they should support it like the rest of the class,” Anderson said, “They should support everyone, no matter what.”
Anderson’s mother, Jennifer, a doctor and former waitress, supports her son’s choice and advocates on his behalf for the school administration.
She received an email from the school saying that despite her approval of her son’s chosen job, the term “waitress” could “lend itself to questions and interpretations within our community,” Jennifer said. , while reading email from his phone.
“They speak on behalf of the community and I’m sure there are a lot of people in the community who were either waiters in the past or are doing it now,” he said in an email.
Ted Fransen, superintendent of the Pembina Trails School Division, told CTV News that “We will not involve the media in any discussion of a freshman’s schoolwork.”
Some waiters receive accredited post-secondary training, such as the Manitoba Tourism Education Council’s bartender program.
“Facing difficult situations, knowing when to cut someone off, working in a fast-paced environment, you have to do multiple tasks,” said Shannon Fontaine, CEO of the Manitoba Tourism Council, when asked what skills could be learned while works as a waiter.
He said educators should not discourage students from any occupation in the service industry, adding that some people may be misinformed as far as the industry can go.
“A lot of people have no idea what lucrative career you can have while working in the hospitality industry,” Fontaine said. “I went from a receptionist to a manager, which led me to where I am today.”
Bartenders can also be business owners.
Mark Turner went to college for psychology. He now owns and manages the Amsterdam Tea Room and Bar in the Exchange District.
“While studying, I worked almost full-time in a bar and restaurant, and I learned more about human psychology with my job as a waiter than at school,” Turner said.
Turner applauds Anderson’s hopes of being a waiter and adhering to his decision, traits he enjoys seeing in employees.
“I think if he wants a job, as soon as he’s 16, he’d put it in the well of the dish,” Turner said.