I find it amazing that people are so quick to try and force others to do what they think is a good idea.
Personally I think there should be a minimal set of behaviors which are not tolerated, murder, theft and so on. Most of the rest should be encouraged but not forced or even legislated. Yes eating too much fat is bad for a body, but we shouldn't be forced to follow someone else's idea of the one true way.
Skip Your Parent-Teacher Conference, Go to Jail? is a classic example of this. Yes I'm sure that meeting your child's teacher will help your child do better at school, but why do we have to force parents to attend the parent-teacher conferences? The article starts:
----------
Show up for your child's parent-teacher conference or go to jail: the choice could be yours in Michigan, if a county prosecutor has her way.
Just as parent-teacher conference season is shifting into high gear in schools across the country, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is championing a law that would require parents to participate in at least one parent-teacher conference a year or spend up to three days in the slammer.
----------
Laws like this typically have little flexibility. If a student only has one parent, and the parent is working two child, often the law doesn't care.
This would be a bad idea and I hope the community pushes back.
(Hat tip: Guerrilla Homeschooling)
4 comments:
Nothing says "parental involvement" like a parent behind bars.
This is ridiculous. There are good reasons why a parent may not attend a parent/teacher conference. Illness, work, and inflexibility with the schedule are starters.
Some teachers don't stick to the time schedule. I've heard acquaintences of mine waiting over an hour past their appointment start time.
Other times nothing useful was said. What goes on in those is non-standard and some is just a waste of time. Yet other teachers use the time to complain about the child when if things were that bad a phone call or other contact should have been made much, much sooner.
By flexibility I mean the teachers should have the conferneces starting early in the morning some days and other times in the evening, possibly even on weekends. In the private sector people sometimes work very early, or late, or weekends, or travel on business. If all the conferences are in a 2 day period then a parent on a week long business trip cannot attend.
Are the teachers and school administrators getting like the polticians in Washington where they are so out of touch with reality that they don't even know what is going on in people's real lives?
Words just fail me. I realize that many parents just aren't all that involved in the PTC but to threaten jail time is ridiculous. Also, I'd love to ask the Michigan prosecutor, how would tax payers like to pay for this nonsense? Plastic or paper?
Oh my. This is simply ridiculous. Forced participation rarely produces happy and thoughtful involvement.
Post a Comment