Low-performing schools: Does encouraging parents to play a more active role in their children's education take school boards and teachers off the hook?

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by Tom Bradwell

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Does encouraging parents to play a more active role in their children's education take school boards and teachers off the hook?

In approaching the hot-button topic of teacher responsibility and parental involvement in education, it is fair to state that there are few greater responsibilities or higher callings than that of being a parent or a teacher. I would be hard-pressed to find a large number of people who would suggest that parental involvement in education is unimportant. Still, it is not uncommon to find parents struggling to maintain a healthy balance between work and family. All too often, we see empty chairs at parent-teacher conferences, or we find that notes home go unread and phone calls go unreturned. We realize that most parents care deeply about their child's education. The challenge is that as parents, we're often overextended.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are countless educators who also feel overwhelmed and helpless. Faced with the challenges of under-funded schools, unruly students, and limited support there are some teachers who fight everyday to provide students with a quality education. Every day is a struggle to do the right thing. Every class presents a new set of challenges. Many teachers learn "on the job", as our universities and colleges do not adequately prepare us for the multiple challenges presented in the classroom. In some unfortunate cases, this has led to apathy, defeatism, and even anger.

As both an educator and a parent, I would strongly suggest that the only way that we can move towards addressing some of the challenges surrounding our educational system is by re-engaging parents, family and educators in the process. We need all hands on deck. The educating of a child was never intended to fall solely on the shoulders of school boards and educators, or exclusively with parents. This is underscored in the fact that the earliest public schools were formed with the same basic goals of the family unit.

The earliest public schools, known as Common Schools, were created with the goal of forming good citizens, curbing crime and anti-social behavior, and addressing poverty. These shared goals were built into the fabric of society as a whole, and are still embraced today as a primary responsibility in parenting. In other words, the educating of our children has always been considered a realistic expectation for parents and guardians, not simply teachers. Still, placing the proper emphasis on parental involvement should not be viewed as replacing the responsibility that teachers and board members have, but complimenting it. In the same way that two wings are required to safely fly an aircraft, it takes equally committed parents and teachers to educate a child.

Another important point in this discussion is that more parent/teacher involvement and interaction would actually place a greater level of accountability on all involved. It is true that many of our educational issues can find their root cause in the breakdown of the family. Without delving into the details surrounding these alarming findings, it has been documented that student performance can be linked to socio-economic status, the presence of both parents within the nuclear family, environmental factors, and even the educational level of the parents. These studies seem to indicate that the more family-related challenges a student has, the more likely that student is to under-achieve academically and embrace anti-social behavior at school. I mention this not to devolve teachers and school boards of responsibility; rather I underscore these facts in order to highlight the interdependent nature of the family and the classroom. Still, it is fair to say that issues like these would lessen with the advent of a renewed focus on supporting and equipping parents to become engaged. In essence, parental involvement would help eliminate any potential excuses for poor teacher and administrator performance. It would also provide a platform for teachers to express their desires and concerns in constructive community with parents. With involved parents and teachers holding one another mutually accountable, the true beneficiaries would be our children. In reality, this type of partnership would actually increase, not alleviate the need for committed, engaged teachers and board members.

In conclusion, I submit that educating a child is a partnership that requires multiple stakeholders. These stakeholders share varying responsibilities in creating a society that is conducive to developing effective schools and successful students. It is fair to say that while the parent should be considered chief stakeholder in their child's overall well being, the parent does not stand-alone. When parents are advocating for their children it will create a "ripple effect" of accountability that will ultimately lead to more accountability on all levels. Ultimately, our society as a whole would benefit.

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