A trip to the school boards sounds like a great decision. I would recommend, however, finding a source of cash for the third competition if that is what you decide you want to do.
Go to the school board and lay out an outline that covers what you think are their complaints.
From what you listed, it seems that the two objections are 1) Too much cost and 2) You'll miss another 2 days of school.
1) Cost
_a) Show them how you can get the funds. Make sure you provide methods that will work out. Don't say you can get the money if you can't.
_b) Talk about FIRST's expenses to build a robot, both on a time scale and financial scale. Argue that spending 6 weeks brainstorming, conceptualizing, designing, prototyping, and building a robot should have more payoff (not going to a third when you have the opportunity, is a waste of the hard work you guys put in)
2) Missing School
_a) Recognize why they are concerned. Make sure you point out that a good education is necessary, but that there are other ways of obtaining education other than sitting in a classroom
_b) Try using the statistics from FIRST's site on the impact of FIRST from an educational perspective. I know everyone else has mentioned it already but please make sure to
STAY POSITIVE AND POLITE. Let your gracious professionalism really shine.
Quote:
When compared with the comparison group, FIRST students are:
* More than 3 times as likely to major specifically in engineering.
* Roughly 10 times as likely to have had an apprenticeship, internship, or co-op job in their freshman year.
* Significantly more likely to expect to achieve a post graduate degree.
* More than twice as likely to expect to pursue a career in science and technology.
* Nearly 4 times as likely to expect to pursue a career specifically in engineering.
* More than twice as likely to volunteer in their communities.
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I hope this helps!