Skipping A Parent Teacher Conference May Cost You

[The Straight Story]

Skipping A Parent Teacher Conference May Cost You

A Kentucky Lawmaker wants to make parent teacher meetings mandatory, and those who don't attend could face a fine.

Representative Adam Koenig, a Republican from Erlanger Kentucky, says parental involvement in their children's education is directly involved in their success, saying it begins with meeting with the teachers.

Koenig says it's especially important in low income areas of the Commonwealth where 20-30 percent of the parents don't attend parent teacher conferences.

According to the Bill parents who don't meet with their child's teacher within 90 days of school could be fined 50 dollars and if they continue to ignore the teacher, fines could reach $200.

Koenig says the fines are based on the punishment for parents with students that skip school.

27NEWSFIRST spoke with some parents at Veteran's Park Elementary, where officials say 98% of parents attend parent teacher conferences.

We found the reactions to be mixed. Some say parents should attend conferences and if that means pulling out all the stops such as fines then so be it.

Others say it may be taking things too far to institute fines, saying they sympathize with parents who find it hard to make time to attend scheduled conferences.

http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/39409642.html

[Raineyb]

1. That's just stupid!

They hold all the conferences at the same times. What if you can only make it to one school and your kids are in two different schools? What if you're a teacher and have to attend at the school in which you teach to talk to the parents of your students? What if you just can't get the time off from work?

Regards

[seabeyond]

5. in my experience, teachers are desperate to talk to a parent to HELP their children

they have always been so flexible and willing with these conferences and any other time the teacher needs to discuss a child. i have faith that if something came up making it challenging for parent to meet with teacher, then the teacher would work hard at finding a solution

unfortunately there are many parents, too many parents that are just not interested ro responsible enough to meet the childsw need, thru the teacher.

[jayfish]

34. Well, If They Are Going To Make It Mandatory By Law,...

they should include protection for these circumstances in said law.

Jay

[havocmom]

2. Betting the less a parent makes at work, the less likely they can get time off

And since they can't really make teachers be available 24/7, it seems this is gonna flop big. Good motives, yes, parents SHOULD be involved. But the method does not address realities of many people's circumstances.

[Raineyb]

14. Exactly. This kind of thing will end up being a cash cow for the state to

filling the coffers at the expense of those who can least afford it.

Because there are plenty of employers who are not at all flexible about giving employees time off and it is getting worse.

Regards

[Birthmark]

3. Well, you know how Republicans love small government...

...unless it means pushing people around.

[11 Bravo]

4. And dictating their sex lives.

[DKRC]

8. And making a buck off of them nt

[Lyric]

6. Sure, sounds good to me--IF they allow for alternative means of 'conferencing.'

Like e-mail exchanges, phone conversations, etc.

Some people simply cannot get there during school hours. I'm grateful that my son's teacher is willing to conference with us via e-mail, because if he wasn't, we'd never talk to him at all. We have our *own* classes to attend during school hours, and college professors aren't terribly forgiving about absences when the class is 200-level or above--or sometimes even 100-level, depending on the professor.

[seabeyond]

7. i have found teachers totally cooperative too, but IF there was soemthing dire with your

child and a real need for the teacher to be one on one with you, dont you think as a parent you would find the time, and teachers you have experienced you would be able to work something out?

[Lyric]

12. I can't think of a single thing that would absolutely *require* me

to be physically there during school hours, in terms of stuff that is 'conferenced' about. Obviously, injuries/fights/etc. are legal issues these days, so in a situation like that I'd be meeting with the principal and/or the police--but that's not the same thing as a parent-teacher conference.

If, in theory, something happened that absolutely required my physical presence with my son's teacher, then I'd expect the teacher to make some kind of reasonable accommodation--meeting me after hours, or at an alternate location, etc. If they want to make it illegal to miss these conferences, then they also need to provide accommodation to people who are not available when school is in session. It's the same principle that busing evolved from; if you want to make something mandatory with legal penalties for those who break that rule, then you have to be willing to provide the means of compliance with the law.

As it is, low-income parents are the ones most likely to be stuck at a menial job with a boss who doesn't give a damn about anything but his bottom line; jobs like that are not forgiving to people who miss time, no matter what the excuse. Poor people are also more likely to (1) have no car, and (2) live in rural areas with little to no public transportation. This just sounds like another "poor tax" to me, unless they're willing to expand what it means to 'conference' and provide accommodation for people who, for whatever reason, just can't do the traditional show-up-at-the-school-and-chat thing.

[seabeyond]

17. i would suggest there are 10 parents to every 1 that just dont want to be bothered

rather than they cannot make it for your reason. hence the crisis in the schools and why they are resorting to this.

in both of my children i have had an occasion where it was imperative that my body was actually face to face with the teacher. i am also a parent that on a regular basis reach out to teachers to see how they are doing and if there is anything we need to talk about. i also have the time and ability to do this. it helps tremendously for my kids education and i do not think all parents need to be that active.

kindergarten i was asked to come into the class to watch my son in class. that was the point that teacher and i knew he had a problem in school, in the environment and it was a huge deal for me to quietly sit and watch to realize the importance and the issue and then to focus on problem solving for his weaknesses.

my youngest was about third grade that we needed to conference on his issues. poor fine motor skills to extreme that they thought they could teach him thru. that needed to be face to face for comparative.

both situations were important for the teacher to help my child

[ThomCat]

30. Perhaps you should go back and re-read your own post.

It comes across as very incredibly judgmental.

"I'm an incredible parent, so why can't they get off their asses and be as good as me."

Perhaps you should stop patting yourself on the back and try to see things from other people's perspectives.

[seabeyond]

31. that is bullshit

i clearly said that i understand that i am in a position to go to the school whenever i chose to talk to the teachers and i understand not everyone is in the same position. so to suggest i dont understand that is crap.

and YES. i think a person that chooses to have children do have the responsibility and obligation and duty to get off their ass when needed, at times, however hard, to do a parent conference.

as i have stated, and you have stated the teachers we have dealt with have been VERY accommodating.

i also know there are a lot of parents NOT parenting and not interested in the success or failure of their child. i do see that as an incredible shame. and it is a reality

we would like to pretend that all are doing the best they can with the child the utmost in their mind, but it simply isn't true. we are coming up with all kinds of reasons a parent cannot do this. but i dont think that the majority not being a part of their children's education is for these extremes. and any parent that has an affliction, working three jobs, dont have a car merely has to call, communicate with principal and teacher and explain their situation and they are NOT going to be penalized and a solution can be achieved.

[ThomCat]

29. That's an emotional argument

and it blames parents for not being able to change reality. "If you loved your child enough, couldn't you bend the universe to make it possible?"

Unfortunately, there are a hell of a lot of very poor people with very little control over their own schedules and no independent transportation. And there are a hell of a lot of very authoritarian, and often vindictive, people who like to punish poor people for every imagined infraction.

If you can't see how this proposed law is a trap waiting to spring on poor people then you have a privileged life.

[seabeyond]

32. my children have been in a private school, poor district public

and two other public schools and i have not this vindictive authoritarian that is out to punish poor people. so in all my experience INSIDE the system, i cannot come to the same conclusion you do. i have had every school work hard for the interest of the children.

[pipi_k]

22. good idea...

because some people might not be able to get there at all

Like people who have moderate to severe anxiety or panic disorders...social anxiety disorder...agoraphobia...OCD...depression...etc.

I think a lot of people just do not understand how debilitating these things can be.

Maybe "forcing" someone with an anxiety disorder to physically attend a conference and then having to clean vomit up from the desk or themselves would help them decide to change their minds.

[Wickerman]

9. Excellent concept, horrible execution

Parents need to be involved in schools but this isn't the method. Email and phone calls should be adequate; face to face is better. I applaud the concept but fines are stupid when parents work odd hours with 2 or 3 jobs...

[customerserviceguy]

10. How about mandating that personal time or sick leave hours

can be used for this without penalty from one's employer? Most people who cannot attend such conferences have job obligations that prevent them from doing so.

Raising kids is an important business, I don't mind having to stay a bit longer at work so that one of my co-workers can take this time to be a responsible parent.

[cherokeeprogressive]

13. Some people think raising kids is selfish on its face. While I side with you on staying at work

a little while longer so a parent can attend such an important thing, someone who is childless will howl and moan.

When I was teaching, my principal told us many times that after-hours work was just part of a teacher's "adjunct duties". This included things like grading papers and classroom prep.

I'd prefer to give teachers a few extra bucks for meeting parents after working hours.

[Raineyb]

16. I'm not sure that the term "howl and moan" is appropriate

you make it sound as though they're asking for something to which they're not entitled. I know I for one do not necessarily want to hang around the office any longer than necessary.

Regards

[redqueen]

18. Some people don't get those though.

Heck I work 9-6 in an office and don't get them. I have to use vacation time for sick days. Or just not get paid, that's another option.

I wonder how many hourly workers don't even have vacation time.

[customerserviceguy]

19. Good point

While it's tough to get laws allowing family leave, certainly the few hours a year that it would take for teacher conferences are much less severe for employers to allow employees.

It's certainly something we might need to work on.

[Ikonoklast]

11. Yeah, that'll work really well.

As a person that never in his working life had a Monday through Friday nine-to-five job, and had to reconfigure his work schedule to attend any of my children's after-school functions, losing pay and pissing off my employer in the process, I think that is just a stupid idea.

Seems that some people can't understand that there is a lot of the world that just doesn't run on *their* schedule.

And as a single father of three children I would call and discuss with each of my children's teachers if they actually needed to see me in person, and if necessary could we meet at a mutually beneficial time.

[skeewee08]

15. As a former Educator, this is a GREAT idea. The teachers are so

desperate to communicate with a parent, any parent, they will stay late, there is email, they can call on their lunch. each school should have a Building Substitute Teacher so there could be some form of scheduling for lunches phone conferences.

I use to a contest that is every parent shows up we would have pizza, and the kids loved it, I always had 100% turn out, even if it means the grandparent, aunt, sibling whomever, it makes the child feel good as well. Knowing that someone showed up who cared about their education:-)

[mwooldri]

23. I concur that there needs to be encouragement for parents to be involved...

... but fines?

I don't know if fines would be the right thing, plus it's more red tape for the school to administer and more bureaucracy.

Good parents are involved in their child's education no matter what. In my case, I guess I'm having "daily conferences" with my son's teacher - he's in kindergarten and I walk him to the classroom each day, so I see his teacher daily. I want to be involved in his education, I want to see him succeed.

Parents who are totally uninvolved with their child's education could indicate problems at home. Maybe it could call for a visit by Child Protective Services? It's not always the case though, but it's something that's easily done, the school principal would just place the phonecall to CPS and state they have a concern about a child because of certain teachers' observations. Most counties have a CPS system in place, yes it will increase their workload, but a home visit might do just the trick, maybe? A visit by CPS can be scary to parents and the idea of your child being taken away may be a better incentive. But maybe this is too draconian? Or maybe some kind of home visit by a school district social worker who can identify barriers to parental involvement in their child's education?

Again these are ideas... but fines to me appear to be excessive red tape.

Mark.

[JerseygirlCT]

20. The problem's always on the other end of things around here

In grade school, conferences are common, and teachers make a lot of room in order to see every parent that wishes to be seen (that is, nearly every one).

By middle school, it's basically a lottery system. For a five minute quickie meeting.

HS? Same deal, only in my town with 2300 kids. Your odds get even lower.

By HS, if your child doesn't have some special interest or skill (a sport, music, drama, etc), the odds that you'll ever have a substantive conversation with a teacher are low.

[greenbriar]

21. so for those kids who are on free and or reduced lunch where is the $ coming from?

this is a really STUPID idea

[mitchum]

24. In one GA school district parents were being BRIBED with $20 Wal Mart...

gift certificates for coming to parent teacher conferences.
The turnout was substantial.
Tells you a lot about those "parents" and their priorities.

[YvonneCa]

25. As a former educator, this is a TERRIBLE idea. Conferences are...

...critical to student success, but there is a saying: "You attract more flies with honey than with vinegar."

Creating incentives is one good way to boost turnout. Another is 'Student-led conferences' where the children prepare for and invite their parents' participation. And employers need to become supportive of parents...especially where parents are trying to be good parents and do the right thing. Time off for school events would go a LONG way toward solving the problem of parent participation.

Instituting fines implies that parents don't want to participate in school events. This is true of only a VERY SMAll number of families. And those families usually need other types of support.

[seabeyond]

28. "critical to student success"... bah hahah, what greater reward for a parent

than success for their child. a 20 dollar gift certificate is a better incentive than your child being successfull

i get your point. .... but do you get mine.

[YvonneCa]

33. No, I'm not sure at all what you are...

...saying. Sorry. :)

[seabeyond]

35. you tell us that conference is critical to students success

and suggest an incentive for parent. i would think the incentive that is strongest of all is the success of their students, ergo, going ot conference cause it is critical for student success and that a mere "prize" would pale in comparison

[YvonneCa]

36. Sorry. In re-reading my post I can see...

...that I could have been clearer. I think the 'incentive' of paying parents for attendance is a lousy idea. As incentives go...if one takes that path...payment to attend is about the worst way to accomplish the goal.

I agree that the best reward SHOULD be the success of one's child...and most parents (in my experience) agree.


My solution...if I were in charge of the world :7 ...would be to try other ways to get parents into the schools. One that I've had success with is Student-led conferences. Employer support for education is another tool to try. Incentives may have a place, but I would use them as a last resort. And I think paying parents should be scratched off the list.JMHO.

[zagging]

26. Epic fail. n/t

[krabigirl]

27. wtf..this is ridiculous.

[noamnety]

37. Back when I was a single parent in the army

I have no clue how I could have made that work.