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: lbooksusa@aol.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
Let's face it.The job market is getting tougher every day.Computerization... Read More
In today's fast-paced society, many families depend on some form... Read More
There are several treatment options available to help improve the... Read More
Bearers of life, wipers of noses, givers of unconditional love... Read More
Are your children truthful, kind, and helpful? If so, read... Read More
Every week I write something about the stock market -... Read More
One of the basic issues we need to understand is... Read More
What parents of a teen haven't wondered where their sweet... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born. Visions of her... Read More
Many of us have grown up drinking caffeinated diet sodas... Read More
Valentine day has always been a special day in my... Read More
Q. When you consult with a family with teens, what... Read More
As mothers, we play so many different roles and most... Read More
Blink. That's all we did, blink, and summer is ending... Read More
Encouragement comes when you focus on your child's assets and... Read More
Family meetings provide opportunities for feelings to be aired and... Read More
John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comLegacy to Your ChildrenIt's 6:30... Read More
Having a baby is one of the most exciting times... Read More
Child Car Seat Safety:We know you love your children, but... Read More
Paula's last child had just gone off to college and... Read More
Sara loves pampering. Haircuts, facials, manicures, and makeup bring smiles,... Read More
Child care costs are are one of the most expensive... Read More
Even though the "Stop and Think" movement in ADHD treatment... Read More
One of the most powerful tools that parents have for... Read More
Here we will come to know who are the most... Read More
Recently, a much-anticipated game of mini-golf with my children soon... Read More
Advocate: you've probably heard the term before. But what does... Read More
Parents are in a unique position to "monitor" their children's... Read More
Mommy (Daddy), Why do those people want to hurt everyone?Last... Read More
Researched through personal experience!Budget Your Money. Even if you are... Read More
In the movie, Finding Nemo, Nemo's father, Marlyn asks the... Read More
Being consistent when children are less than perfect can make... Read More
The Greatest Gifts in Life, which are always created for... Read More
WHEN AN INJURY HAPPENS AT CAMP, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED... Read More
It's hard to explain to the uninitiated the changes that... Read More
The purpose of this article is to address some of... Read More
How can two or three children in the same family... Read More
Studies have shown that:1 out of 4 children were sent... Read More
We all want to comfort our children after they suffer... Read More
Looking back through my files I've come across several great... Read More
Loving your step-child can be both simple and hard. It... Read More
Parents looking for a quick fix usually choose troubled teen... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born, later my son.... Read More
Managing money is one of the most critical skills we... Read More
A study done by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found... Read More
To every thing there is a season, and a time... Read More
"I WON'T DO IT!" "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"Whether parent or... Read More
Although it might seem pretty corny to a lot of... Read More
Ah, potty training! Go to a local bookseller and you... Read More
Here is an easy, inexpensive and fun kid experiment for... Read More
One of the most difficult parts of being a father... Read More
In an actual war, to be attacked means to have... Read More
In the first premise, some films and video tapes which... Read More
What you say and do about money has a profound... Read More
A great many parents are concerned that the electronic games... Read More
We all wish that our children should not smoke or... Read More
In seminars I am often asked about pocket-money and whether... Read More
For most children, it is easy to learn to read... Read More
1. Diapers (5 -7 is a fairly safe supply)2. Wipes3.... Read More
We adopted our first child when he was three months... Read More
Much has been said about the "gifted child" but in... Read More
Q: Our son has been in honors classes all through... Read More
Our back-to-school buying habits do not help kids succeed in... Read More
In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as... Read More
Article based on a friend's experienceI just wanted to share... Read More
Do you praise your child when he fulfils a basic... Read More
Parenting |