School authorities continually claim that they want more parent cooperation and participation in their children's education. They complain when parents don't show up for parent-teacher conferences or push their children to do their homework.
Yet this constant cry for parent cooperation is often a smoke screen pretense to make parents think they have some control over their children's education. In most cases, parents have no such control. Teachers and principals may placate parents or ask for their cooperation, but they rarely make the important changes parents ask for.
For example, most parents want their children to learn to do basic arithmetic without using calculators as a crutch. A poll by Public Agenda found that 86 percent of parents want students to learn arithmetic by hand before they use calculators. However, the math-teaching policy for most public schools today is that all children beginning in kindergarten have access to calculators at all times to do math problems.
Most school districts make important teaching-method or curriculum decisions in secret, without parents' knowledge or approval. A parent's only recourse is to complain to principals or school authorities after these authorities have dictated their curriculum or teaching methods, and the parent sees the damage to their children. Unfortunately, such complaints are often futile.
Most parents don't realize that school authorities don't want their opinion. Too often, school authorities ignore parents' suggestions or complaints because they truly believe they are the experts and parents are just annoying amateurs. As a result, some teachers, principals, or administrators feel insulted when parents make suggestions or complaints. Many school officials believe parents should not have any real input in their children's education. That is one reason why school authorities hold their committee meetings in secret.
Another reason is that school authorities fear that parents will complain about certain classes and curriculum subjects. For instance, many public schools have introduced classes and books about homosexuality into elementary and high-school sex-education classes. When parents find out about these classes, they frequently complain to the school principal and local politicians. To avoid these complaints, public schools often try to keep secret from parents what they teach in these sex-ed classes.
Moreover, teachers, principals, and school authorities don't have to listen to those amateur, irritating parents who complain that their kids can't read. Public-school employees get tenure after a few years. That means, in effect, that it's almost impossible to fire them, no matter how bad or even mediocre they are. If you couldn't be fired, would you care about parent's complaints? That's why they don't, and that's why public-school teachers or principals can be arrogant or indifferent to parent's legitimate complaints.
Parents, the solution is to stop hitting your head against the brick wall of arrogant public-school employees. Just walk around the wall and don't look back. That is, consider taking your children out of public school and find real education choice and control in the education free-market. Consider homeschooling or some of the many quality, low-cost, K-12 Internet private schools listed in the Resource section of "Public Schools, Public Menace."
Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of "Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children."
Contact Information:
Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com,
Email: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com,
Phone: 718-447-7348.
Article Copyrighted ? 2005 by Joel Turtel.
NOTE: You may post this Article on an Ezine, newsletter, or other website only if you include Joel Turtel's complete contact information, and set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel's email address and website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com
Travel is a common theme in my life -- probably... Read More
So you have just returned home from your third meeting... Read More
Dear MomOn this day set aside to honour "Mother's" let... Read More
Children bombard parents with many challenging behaviours. We are delighted... Read More
One of the biggest milestones in our children's education is... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
For many adults, reading a book or newspaper seems effortless.... Read More
A number of scientific studies have shown the way a... Read More
The law of -ing.The law of -ing refers to a... Read More
What is a parenting problem?Parenting is a tough job, we... Read More
It's that time of year when mom and dad look... Read More
In an actual war, to be attacked means to have... Read More
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes around the brain... Read More
As parents, we want our children and teens to grow... Read More
Advocate: you've probably heard the term before. But what does... Read More
Parents looking for a quick fix usually choose troubled teen... Read More
Here are some things that you can do to help... Read More
Minus all meningitis thoughts. The flu symptons were strong. Headache,... Read More
How in the world do you get your child to... Read More
My son is 6 yrs old. He came home the... Read More
"Good parents give their children Roots and Wings." --Jonas SalkThe... Read More
The successful preschool idea behind many successful preschool learning centers... Read More
Predicament:My son is 4 1/2 years old. His younger brother... Read More
Voices!So many voices crying out for adherence and so many... Read More
The 21st Century Problem in Schools: Bullying, and How to... Read More
Des Moines rental limo ..My neighbours' kid impressed me the other day.I was busy... Read More
With the beginning of the new school year coming VERY... Read More
Discipline is a necessary part of parenting yet it makes... Read More
Our children are our most important legacy to the world.... Read More
I had my first two children on either side of... Read More
Do your children have a McChildhood? Do they experience the... Read More
Do you know what these famous people have in common?Alexander... Read More
Individualism is a common thing in today's modern society. Many... Read More
As thinking, acting human beings we have the ability to... Read More
Finding out that a child has been born with a... Read More
The first year of a child's life is the most... Read More
Successful parents have learned to be both firm and kind... Read More
Gift shops are a kid magnet and often a trip... Read More
Ok. So you're a dad to be. If you're like... Read More
Sitting by her Pinocchio lamp, she smiled at me as... Read More
Volunteering together is a fantastic way to spend time as... Read More
The least flexible character in all of the stories of... Read More
Studies have shown that:1 out of 4 children were sent... Read More
The most common medications used in the treatment of Attention... Read More
Many of us have grown up drinking caffeinated diet sodas... Read More
At age seven months in the womb, humans begin language... Read More
Is there anything wrong with lying, cheating, stealing, shop-lifting, taking... Read More
My kids ask me all the time to take them... Read More
Q. Things have been relatively calm and OK with our... Read More
Minus all meningitis thoughts. The flu symptons were strong. Headache,... Read More
Parenting |