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As much as I think parents need to be involved in their kids' education, this is insane...
Bill aims at truant parents
By AMAN BATHEJA and DIANE SMITH
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITERS
Forget truancy court.
A bill filed in the state Legislature would send parents who miss conferences with their children's teachers to criminal court.
Parents are outraged, teachers are amused -- but nobody seems to strongly support the measure.
"It's crazy," said Paula Taylor of Fort Worth, who has two children in public schools. "I don't think it's fair."
The proposal by Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, would make missing a scheduled conference with a public schoolteacher a Class C misdemeanor.
Smith has said he hopes the measure would increase parents' involvement in their children's education. The bill would allow for "reasonable excuses" for not attending, and proceeds from fines would go toward providing additional compensation to teachers or buying school supplies other than textbooks.
Educators' reaction mixed
The proposal has drawn chuckles from some educators. Some teachers even like the idea of getting extra money for their classrooms.
Still, area educators say turning parents into outlaws isn't going to make them more involved in schools.
"It's very difficult in this age and time," said Marsha Griswold, a sixth-grade math teacher at Stripling Middle School in Fort Worth. "We don't have families in which one parent stays at home and one works."
Kathleen Gilbert, a ninth-grade world geography teacher at Hurst Junior High School in the H-E-B district, said even parents with the best intentions can't always participate.
"I'm thrilled that the Legislature recognizes that parents, students and the school have to work together," Gilbert said. "But it's a little severe.
"I don't think we've done a good enough job yet of making parents feel that their input is as necessary as it is. We're only starting, at some schools, to give parents the opportunity to have input. We need to make them feel welcome."
A lot of parents work long hours, are single parents or work two or three jobs, Gilbert said.
"They want very much to be involved in their kids, but don't have the time to get off work and come up here," she said.
Twyla Miranda, an education professor and director of the graduate education program at Texas Wesleyan University, said the people the proposal would hit hardest are those who can't afford to take time off from work and those who don't care enough to attend.
Making attendance a legal requirement could end up further souring the relationship between parents and teachers, she said.
"That just adds one more confrontational barrier, and a lot of times there are barriers already between parents and teachers," Miranda said. "A lot of people, when they're cornered like that, don't tend to change their attitudes."
Parents' concerns
Patti Lenz, who has a daughter at Trinity High School in Euless, voiced similar concerns.
"I think that's the wrong approach," Lenz said. "If you do that, you've immediately got a contentious situation. You're not coming at them in a friendly way."
Lenz said teachers should contact parents directly and invite them to participate. Some parents may need to come in during the evening or on Saturdays, she said.
"Eventually, they have to put their kids first," she said.
Cindy Wilson has attended countless parent-teacher meetings for her two children, now a junior and a sophomore at Mansfield Summit High School in south Arlington. She knows some other parents dismiss such meetings or can't find time to make them, but she doesn't see how the legislation would improve their involvement.
"It will just add more complications for parents," she said. "And will this be added onto our school budget? The legal process is long and will drag things out for the district and parent."
An A for effort
Some local educators applauded Smith's efforts to fix a growing problem even if they disagree with his method.
"His heart is in the right place, bless him," said Larry Shaw, executive director for the United Educators Association.
"The spirit is good," agreed Fort Worth Superintendent Melody Johnson. "We welcome parental involvement. We just don't want to see it legislated."
Arlington Superintendent Mac Bernd said the proposal would be a nightmare to enforce.
"I don't think we can criminalize every aspect of a parent's responsibility to their children," he said. "Cake is what we do at the school. The parent's involvement is the icing. Cake is always better with icing, but we're providing the cake regardless."
Staff writers Eva-Marie Ayala and Katherine Cromer Brock contributed to this report.
Bill aims at truant parents
By AMAN BATHEJA and DIANE SMITH
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITERS
Forget truancy court.
A bill filed in the state Legislature would send parents who miss conferences with their children's teachers to criminal court.
Parents are outraged, teachers are amused -- but nobody seems to strongly support the measure.
"It's crazy," said Paula Taylor of Fort Worth, who has two children in public schools. "I don't think it's fair."
The proposal by Rep. Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, would make missing a scheduled conference with a public schoolteacher a Class C misdemeanor.
Smith has said he hopes the measure would increase parents' involvement in their children's education. The bill would allow for "reasonable excuses" for not attending, and proceeds from fines would go toward providing additional compensation to teachers or buying school supplies other than textbooks.
Educators' reaction mixed
The proposal has drawn chuckles from some educators. Some teachers even like the idea of getting extra money for their classrooms.
Still, area educators say turning parents into outlaws isn't going to make them more involved in schools.
"It's very difficult in this age and time," said Marsha Griswold, a sixth-grade math teacher at Stripling Middle School in Fort Worth. "We don't have families in which one parent stays at home and one works."
Kathleen Gilbert, a ninth-grade world geography teacher at Hurst Junior High School in the H-E-B district, said even parents with the best intentions can't always participate.
"I'm thrilled that the Legislature recognizes that parents, students and the school have to work together," Gilbert said. "But it's a little severe.
"I don't think we've done a good enough job yet of making parents feel that their input is as necessary as it is. We're only starting, at some schools, to give parents the opportunity to have input. We need to make them feel welcome."
A lot of parents work long hours, are single parents or work two or three jobs, Gilbert said.
"They want very much to be involved in their kids, but don't have the time to get off work and come up here," she said.
Twyla Miranda, an education professor and director of the graduate education program at Texas Wesleyan University, said the people the proposal would hit hardest are those who can't afford to take time off from work and those who don't care enough to attend.
Making attendance a legal requirement could end up further souring the relationship between parents and teachers, she said.
"That just adds one more confrontational barrier, and a lot of times there are barriers already between parents and teachers," Miranda said. "A lot of people, when they're cornered like that, don't tend to change their attitudes."
Parents' concerns
Patti Lenz, who has a daughter at Trinity High School in Euless, voiced similar concerns.
"I think that's the wrong approach," Lenz said. "If you do that, you've immediately got a contentious situation. You're not coming at them in a friendly way."
Lenz said teachers should contact parents directly and invite them to participate. Some parents may need to come in during the evening or on Saturdays, she said.
"Eventually, they have to put their kids first," she said.
Cindy Wilson has attended countless parent-teacher meetings for her two children, now a junior and a sophomore at Mansfield Summit High School in south Arlington. She knows some other parents dismiss such meetings or can't find time to make them, but she doesn't see how the legislation would improve their involvement.
"It will just add more complications for parents," she said. "And will this be added onto our school budget? The legal process is long and will drag things out for the district and parent."
An A for effort
Some local educators applauded Smith's efforts to fix a growing problem even if they disagree with his method.
"His heart is in the right place, bless him," said Larry Shaw, executive director for the United Educators Association.
"The spirit is good," agreed Fort Worth Superintendent Melody Johnson. "We welcome parental involvement. We just don't want to see it legislated."
Arlington Superintendent Mac Bernd said the proposal would be a nightmare to enforce.
"I don't think we can criminalize every aspect of a parent's responsibility to their children," he said. "Cake is what we do at the school. The parent's involvement is the icing. Cake is always better with icing, but we're providing the cake regardless."
Staff writers Eva-Marie Ayala and Katherine Cromer Brock contributed to this report.