AJC.com > Blogs > Get Schooled > Archives > 2007 > February > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USPower To The Parents?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A bill that recently passed the House Education Committee would ensure that parents — not educators — constitute a majority on school councils, the groups tasked with overseeing individual campuses.
State Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta), who sponsored the bill, apparently wants moms and dads to have more control over the way public schools are run. Of course, the councils are only advisory in nature. But, if this bill becomes law, parents would not only have to make up a majority of the council, but also serve as leaders for the groups.
Several years ago, Georgia lawmakers passed a law establishing school councils as a way to get more parents involved in education and improve the communication between home and school. But is legislation really the best way to get parents involved?
Comments
By teach overseas
February 27, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this
We need parents involved so they can SUPPORT the schools, not to run them.
I couldn’t imagine sitting on one of these coucils listening to endless “Well, when I was in school…”
By chuck
February 27, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this
School councils are a joke, just like pretty much everything the legislature does concerning education. Instead of piddling with foolish bills like this in the 40 days you have, why don’t you do something USEFUL like force school districts to enforce ATTENDACE LAWS that are already on the books.
By JustMe
February 27, 2007 11:58 AM | Link to this
Some/most schools cannot get some/most parents to do ANYTHING. This includes coming to teacher/parent conferences or even returning a phone call regarding their child.
What does the legislature suggest when there are NO parents available for the school council? Is there some parent penalty?
I fully agree with the previous poster - we need to enforce the truency laws. If parents cannot AT LEAST ensure that their child attends schools, put the parents in jail!!!!
By Reader
February 27, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this
Where does Rep. Jones imagine all these involved parents are going to come from? It’s hard enough to fill the spots already allocated for parents! I agree that school councils are something of a joke. The theory is good but the execution is lacking. The administrations which know how to be responsive to parents are already successful.
By high school teacher
February 27, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this
I’m sorry for poking fun, but can you imagine if the “Anti-Harry Potter Mom” wound up on a school council? Also, watch out Cobb County - your evolution stickers debate has only begun!
I am a parent and a teacher, and parental involvement is great! However, allowing parents to have more control over school decisions is not the answer!
By hs sped
February 27, 2007 12:26 PM | Link to this
I’m still waiting to find out what, exactly, the school council does.
By V for Vendetta
February 27, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this
Many of the current crop of high school level parents I see are complete morons. They are the ones buying their kids beer on the weekends, sending them to school with ipods, cell phones, and PSPs, and basically bending over backwards to believe the kid over the educator. Sure there are exceptions, but they are few and far between. Long story short, this is a terrible idea.
Parents need to get involved based on their own initiative. The sad thing is that we have to more or less FORCE parents to give a rat’s butt, and then when they finally do, they complain about assinine things like homework or why little Johnny can’t make up his assignment from last year.
I have an idea. I propose a bill that says “screw parents, we’ll try to educate your kid in spite of you.”
Not that that would do anything, I just like the sound of it.
By philip kovacs
February 27, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this
Why not let master teachers, identified as such by peers, administrators, students, and the community to run school boards?
Having a child does not always mean a parent has given due consideration to the issues facing public eduction.
By wwww
February 27, 2007 1:55 PM | Link to this
What might work in some districts (N. Fulton) is NOT going to work in others.
I’m not convinced this will work anyway. I am amazed at some of the things that happen - I’ve had students’ cell phones ring, only to have a parent at the other end asking what they want for dinner, do they need a ride home from so and so, etc. And this is in the middle of class. In meetings I’ve heard more times than I can count “But I’ve done ALL I can” and still their child brings ipods and the like to school, brags about staying out until all hours, and how many texts they send in a day. I do not want these parents making policy decisions for our schools.
By Jim
February 27, 2007 1:59 PM | Link to this
High school teacher here. What’s with all the parent bashing? Yes, some are terrible, but most are supportive and do the best the can to keep their kids cooperative and focused. I have met a few nightmare parents in my seventeen year career, but most are just the opposite. Hopefully, the folks who write these parent-bashing posts aren’t the ones responsible for teaching our kids how to avoid overgeneralizing.
That said, this bill does sound like more meddlesome grandstanding.
By Ronnie B
February 27, 2007 2:25 PM | Link to this
If Jan Jones authored this bill, then you can bet that it’s little more than a power grab by the Alpharetta/East Cobb school confederates. These people won’t rest until they’ve rolled back the gains every gain of integration.
By mk
February 27, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this
Parent councils are mandated forums to get parents involved. You can not mandate a comunity or school to do anything successful.
Legislation would do better to force the bad parents to get involved (attendance, meeting with teachers, discipline of their kids) instead of forcing the good parents to get MORE involved. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out, but the politicians sure do have trouble understanding the concept.
By Lee
February 27, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
With regard to all the parent bashing going on here, it is little wonder why parents hold teachers, administrators, and anyone else who has anything to do with public schools in such low regard.
Parents who read this blog need to take note — there is a good percentage of teachers and administrators AT YOUR SCHOOL who don’t give a rip about your child or whether or not they get a good education.
They also don’t think you should have any say so in your child’s education.
Tell you what to do. Suck it up and save your money and send your child to a GOOD private school for one year. You’ll be amazed at the difference.
I sometimes ask my youngest daughter, who is in private school, if she would want to go back to her old school.
“Are you kidding me?!! I’d run away from home first…”
Go ahead you lemmings. Send your child to public schools. The teachers above care about your child. They do!
REALLY!!!
BTW, the reason school councils are ineffective is that principals load them up with a bunch of brown noser’s and yes-men. They don’t want anyone who is able to think for themselves and might challenge the status quo.
By Janine
February 27, 2007 4:47 PM | Link to this
Well, I’m late today…but I think schools should be run not by the politicians and not by parents, but by a group of dedicated master teachers who have the support of the parents. ANd Lee, I agree about the difference in public and private schools.and the superiority of the latter……and I think you will find that neither politicians nor parents run them.
By luvs2teach
February 27, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this
I would prefer more community-based business people - management level - who know what their employees are lacking. I think they would bring a fresh sensibility and an objectiveness to the situation.
As evidenced from the posts here from both parents and teachers, neither is going to be able to be completely objective.
And, Lee, there are a percentage of us who do care…maybe too much. I saw one of my students walking down a busy street at 10:30PM on a Tuesday - the next day, as she slept in class, I debated whether she needed the sleep or the learning more.
What would you do?
By Monica
February 27, 2007 6:51 PM | Link to this
Back from the National Association of Secondary School Principals conference and ready to blog. I think that anything that gets more parents involved is a good thing, but I don’t think that you can legislate or mandate parent involvement. I also think that there are a variety of forms of parental involvement in schools, not just physical presence on campus to volunteer or to participate in school council or PTO meetings. Parents who stay in email contact with their children’s teachers, for example, are involved in their children’s education, without having to miss work to visit the school. The things that get parents excited and interested vary from school to school. Effective principals understand that and structure their schools so that parents can have a say in what goes on, through meetings, surveys, and other formats.
By thomas
February 27, 2007 7:32 PM | Link to this
Oh, please stop it. There is already too much parent control in the schools. This is why education sucks the way it does not. Too many people who don’t give a hoot about growth and learning involved in schools.
This is the one good thing about teaching in the barrio— the parents stay the h* out of the way. That has probably been one of the best parts of my year. :)
By Lisa B.
February 27, 2007 8:53 PM | Link to this
I have been on my school council as a teacher, and my son’s school’s council as a parent. School Councils have no authority (and I’m not saying they SHOULD have any authority), and no real purpose for existence. Local boards don’t even pay lip service to ideas passed on from school councils. That said, it doesn’t really matter who chairs the councils.
By Lisa B.
February 27, 2007 9:01 PM | Link to this
Luvs,
Don’t let the student sleep. She needs the learning more, and you are accountable for that learning.
In past years, I allowed sick or sleepy children to lay their heads on their desks. A few years ago, a young school counselor who clawed her way out of the projects told me we cheat the children when we don’t make them learn while under our care. I no longer allow the children to put their heads down when sleepy. If I have a truly sick student, that’s a little different. Most of the time I can find someone to come pick them up.
In these times, however, teachers are accountable for what students know, whether the kids are sick, sleepy, or absent.
By KA
February 28, 2007 8:07 AM | Link to this
The teaching profession has already been hijacked by the PC knee jerk adminsitrations, and now someone wants to let the parents have control, too? Ridiculous! I agree with the other posters that a panel of master teachers should be in charge. Let the teachers teach, require the students to attend, behave and perform, or they will be excluded. A student is only entitled to as much education as he or she will show up and work for. And parents have no place in deciding curriculum, policy or anything other than preparing and overseeing their child’ participation in school.
By jim d
February 28, 2007 8:21 AM | Link to this
Hell just put the students in charge.
Wouldn’t that be about the same?
By jim d
February 28, 2007 8:47 AM | Link to this
First of all the assumption here is that parents may not be elected as the chairperson of the school council. That is not true. A parent may be elected to head it up. That law was changed several years ago. However the principal has been elected in every instance that I’m aware of.
The principal selects the business partner members, and teachers elect their representatives, of course neither of these groups will oppose anything the principal wants. Should a parent member come before the full council suggesting they make a formal recommendation to the school board—the issue will be discussed and tabled for a future meeting and never be brought back up.
Here are a few other problems with current School councils.
They regularly violate O.C.G.A. 20-2-86 –b. The local board of education shall provide a training program to assist schools in forming a school council and to assist school council members in the performance of their duties. Such program shall address the organization of councils, their purpose and responsibilities, applicable laws, rules, regulations and meeting procedures, and important state and local school system program requirements and shall provide a model school council organization plan. Additional training programs shall be offered to school council members annually. The State Board of Education shall develop and make available a model school council training program.
When drawing up their bylaws they almost always overlook or choose to ignore allowing for a student member. This can be done, but never is.
And they are nearly never allowed to perform the duties they are charged with in O.C.G.A. 20-2-86-S
Councils are advisory bodies. The councils shall provide advice and recommendations to the school principal and, where appropriate, the local board of education and local school superintendent on any matter related to student achievement and school improvement, including, but not limited to, the following:
School board policies;
School improvement plans;
Curriculum and assessments;
Report cards issued or audits of the school as conducted by the Office of Education Accountability;
Development of a school profile which shall contain data as identified by the council to describe the academic performance, academic progress, services, awards, interventions, environment, and other such data as the council deems appropriate;
School budget priorities, including school capital improvement plans;
School-community communication strategies;
Methods of involving parents and the community;
Extracurricular activities in the school;
School-based and community services;
Community use of school facilities;
Student discipline and attendance;
Reports from the school principal regarding progress toward the school’s student achievement goals, including progress within specific grade levels and subject areas and by school personnel; and
The method and specifications for the delivery of early intervention services or other appropriate services for underachieving students.
By wwww
February 28, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this
No parent bashing going on here. These are things that happen on a weekly basis. There are great parents, sure. I don’t think anyone debates that, but the bad ones that used to be fewer and farther between seem to be increasing in number.
By jim d
February 28, 2007 8:56 AM | Link to this
For several years our SC was made up of our principal.
3-Business partners
3-teachers
1-parent who had served in various pta positions.
1-parent that was employed by one of the business partners
Oh yeah—and then 1-informed parent that read everything they could find on current educational trends and happenings.
Needless to say—not much was productively happening with that group. Well except for the one highly informed parent becoming quite frustrated that no one else really had a clue about what was happening politically in education let alone in their school, what they were actually charged with doing, nor did they really seem to give a damn. So now it’s just made up with all the yes people
By jim d
February 28, 2007 8:59 AM | Link to this
V—
Resorting to generalizations is quite unlike you. What’s up?
By jim d
February 28, 2007 9:09 AM | Link to this
wwww,
Might the reason the numbers appear to be growing be because more parents are becoming aware of some of the injustices being perpetrated on their kids?
You know, parents that grew up in the 60’s became quite complacent about education—assuming it was still the same as when they went to school only to rather recently having been awakend to the fact that it is not.
I personally don’t think all of their speaking out is a bad thing. Some of it may bring meaningful change.
By wwww
February 28, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this
jim d:
I don’t have anything against a parent standing up for the rights of their children. Sometimes, it is warranted. That is not a bad parent, but a good and proactive one.
If you will read my original post from yesterday, that will explain what I mean by a “bad” parent, or perhaps ones that do not make decisions to the best of their abilities.
By jim d
February 28, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this
www,
Ok, I read it. Now answer me this.
Do you really think those univolved parents would get involved?
See, I don’t think those type of parents would give a rats @ss one way or the other.
Do I believe parents should have more influence on what is going on in our schools? ABSOLUTELY But only those that really care will invest the time, so I don’t see this as being detrimental to the operation of the school.
The one thing that jumps out here at me is that the school would be more inclined to value parental input—kinda like the private schools now do. Parents would really beome customers and valued partners in their childrens education. None of this smoke and mirror committee crap, but truly partners. I mean isn’t that the complaint we read here all the time? That parents aren’t involved?
Should parents then just be encouarged to set home and support whatever the school directs their children in doing or should they actually be involved in the decision making that affects their children? That is the question!
By wwww
February 28, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this
jim d:
You would be shocked and amazed at who has an opinion, and what that opinion could do if they were in the right position.
By luvs2teach
March 1, 2007 1:55 PM | Link to this
Lisa B - your 2/27 @ 9:01…
I did wake the child up (after all, I’m responsible for her CRCT scores, mom’s responsible for her sleep, right?) - the question was rhetorical. I was just trying to illustrate some of the decisions we encounter each day.
I hate the overgeneralized bashing of both parents and teachers - no teacher cares; all parents are lazy. None of that is true for any one group. Most of my parents are terrific - some are not. Most of my colleagues are the types of teachers I would want my child to have - some are not. Between the 50+ teachers both my children have had in their entire educational careers, I can count on one hand the truly awful.
BTW - that same child? Currently suspended for a fight in which she pulled out the other girl’s nose ring and weave.
By jim d
March 1, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this
www
Surprised? Nope not me! Don’t forget I’ve been dealing with the likes of Alvin Wilbanks for years.