Miss a meeting with your child's teacher and pay a fine

[Ceicei]

Should parents be fined for missing the parent/teacher meetings?? With the way time is structured in today's society, it is becoming difficult for some families...

Thoughts? I am getting really tired of the government trying to regulate (or rather, over-regulate) us and our actions. Maybe they should do the thinking for us from now on and let Big Brother take charge--NOT!

See below for link to article:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/02/01/parents.fined.ap/index.html

- Ceicei

 

[The Kidd]

I work for a school and I believe I would not have to deal with the behavior problems I do if the parents took a more active role in their childs lives, but I will not start to legislate it as well as being obtrusive as all get out it is totally unenforceable and would only burden our already loaded down law enforcement and court system.

 

[BrandiJo]

If they do that iv got two words for them Home school. I think the government needs to step back and find out what really needs their attention. I am studying to be a teacher, and while i understand that parent teacher communication is important this really crosses the line, and i would home school my children if it came down to that.
​

 

[Rich Parsons]

Should parents be fined for missing the parent/teacher meetings?? With the way time is structured in today's society, it is becoming difficult for some families...

Thoughts? I am getting really tired of the government trying to regulate (or rather, over-regulate) us and our actions. Maybe they should do the thinking for us from now on and let Big Brother take charge--NOT!

See below for link to article:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/02/01/parents.fined.ap/index.html

- Ceicei

Can I/we fine the teacher or the school if they call in sick? What if they put an English teacher in for Analytical Geometry? I know there are teachers here and not trying to be difficult or insulting that is not my point.

If both sides agree to the time and then cancel at the last minute without notice and it happens all the time then yes something to get peoples attention might be in order.

Yet as I stated above, I seem to remember some subs telling me they had no clue how to help me with the advanced mathematics, which is ok, as we would work togehter and try to figure out the homework and teach ourselves which was good for college. The bad was when one teacher would nto allow us to talk for it was not right for us to, so we had to just read and do the homework. Where was the penalty to the teacher for not planning ahead for an emergency and having someone in place. Where was the school district in making sure someone could teach the class?

I know it is difficult for teachers today. I respect them and their profession. Yet if you open a door usually the doorway is not oneway, but can go both ways.

Peace

 

[Kacey]

I work for a school and I believe I would not have to deal with the behavior problems I do if the parents took a more active role in their childs lives, but I will not start to legislate it as well as being obtrusive as all get out it is totally unenforceable and would only burden our already loaded down law enforcement and court system.

I agree. The parents who are going to come - barring unforeseen circumstances - are going to come regardless. The parents who are not going to come are not going to pay attention to the fine, and won't pay it if they get it. Parental lack of involvement in education is a societal problem, but legal mandates and fines won't change it - only a change in the perceived importance of school attendance, parent/school communication, school behavior, student work habits, and the perception of school as being important (rather than "free" day care, which is what too many parents - and non-parents - think) will change that. This is a "feel-good" law that, if passed, will cause a great deal of ill-will and is unlikely to change parent behavior much, if at all, and will add to the load of law enforcement who must then serve the fine and attend to the warrants for those who don't pay.

If they do that iv got two words for them Home school. I think the government needs to step back and find out what really needs their attention. I am studying to be a teacher, and while i understand that parent teacher communication is important this really crosses the line, and i would home school my children if it came down to that.
​

It does, in my opinion - and I have Hell's own time getting in contact with some of my students' parents, as their phones (if they have them) are often disconnected, the home and/or work numbers are incorrect or out of date, they are never home when I'm at work (not uncommon - lots of my students' parents work swing or split shift, and they are at work or asleep when I can call) or they don't answer calls from the school (the downside of caller ID).

Can I/we fine the teacher or the school if they call in sick? What if they put an English teacher in for Analytical Geometry? I know there are teachers here and not trying to be difficult or insulting that is not my point.

I'm sorry, Rich, but that is your point, even if that's not what you intend. I am a teacher, and I have been a sub... and you go where the district assigns you. By law, there has to be a certified person in the room - if the district can get someone who understands the material, so much the better, but think about it... there are a lot more teachers out there with English degrees than Math degrees, and a shortage of math, science and special ed teachers, because the pay in the private sector is so much better. There just aren't subs available in some disciplines - so you're saying that I, as a special ed teacher, unlikely to get a special ed sub (they're in even shorter supply than math and science) can never call in sick? I should come to school with the same symptoms I had the last time I called in sick - a fever of 101, hacking cough, clogged sinuses, and nausea, which, in combination, made driving unsafe, much less teaching - because my sub won't be certified in my specialty? While I understand your intent and concern, what you're really saying is that a sick teacher can't stay home for a day or two because the sub may or may not be able to accurately understand the sub plans. That's a crock.

If both sides agree to the time and then cancel at the last minute without notice and it happens all the time then yes something to get peoples attention might be in order.

I disagree; see my answer to The Kidd.

Yet as I stated above, I seem to remember some subs telling me they had no clue how to help me with the advanced mathematics, which is ok, as we would work togehter and try to figure out the homework and teach ourselves which was good for college. The bad was when one teacher would nto allow us to talk for it was not right for us to, so we had to just read and do the homework. Where was the penalty to the teacher for not planning ahead for an emergency and having someone in place. Where was the school district in making sure someone could teach the class?

Again, see above. It is a teacher's responsibility to provide appropriate sub plans - and having been a sub, I can say unequivocably that doesn't happen all the time. I can also say that the situation you cite is not the teacher's fault - the teacher, by your own description, left sub plans that dealt with the subject of the class. The district does it's best to provide appropriate subs, but sometimes they're just not available. That is not the teacher's fault, and the teacher should not be made the villian for it. I have been in buildings (high schools) where there was no sub, and the class was sent to the library so they'd be somewhere there was an adult to watch them - at least with an inappropriate sub, you still had access to your education. If you, or your child, finds yourself in the position you describe, complain - to the teacher, to the building, to the district - but don't be surprised when they tell you they do the best they can. Blaming the teacher for the scarcity of subs is hardly realistic.

I know it is difficult for teachers today. I respect them and their profession. Yet if you open a door usually the doorway is not oneway, but can go both ways.

Peace

 

[Rich Parsons]

I agree. The parents who are going to come - barring unforeseen circumstances - are going to come regardless. The parents who are not going to come are not going to pay attention to the fine, and won't pay it if they get it. Parental lack of involvement in education is a societal problem, but legal mandates and fines won't change it - only a change in the perceived importance of school attendance, parent/school communication, school behavior, student work habits, and the perception of school as being important (rather than "free" day care, which is what too many parents - and non-parents - think) will change that. This is a "feel-good" law that, if passed, will cause a great deal of ill-will and is unlikely to change parent behavior much, if at all, and will add to the load of law enforcement who must then serve the fine and attend to the warrants for those who don't pay.



It does, in my opinion - and I have Hell's own time getting in contact with some of my students' parents, as their phones (if they have them) are often disconnected, the home and/or work numbers are incorrect or out of date, they are never home when I'm at work (not uncommon - lots of my students' parents work swing or split shift, and they are at work or asleep when I can call) or they don't answer calls from the school (the downside of caller ID).


I'm sorry, Rich, but that is your point, even if that's not what you intend. I am a teacher, and I have been a sub... and you go where the district assigns you. By law, there has to be a certified person in the room - if the district can get someone who understands the material, so much the better, but think about it... there are a lot more teachers out there with English degrees than Math degrees, and a shortage of math, science and special ed teachers, because the pay in the private sector is so much better. There just aren't subs available in some disciplines - so you're saying that I, as a special ed teacher, unlikely to get a special ed sub (they're in even shorter supply than math and science) can never call in sick? I should come to school with the same symptoms I had the last time I called in sick - a fever of 101, hacking cough, clogged sinuses, and nausea, which, in combination, made driving unsafe, much less teaching - because my sub won't be certified in my specialty? While I understand your intent and concern, what you're really saying is that a sick teacher can't stay home for a day or two because the sub may or may not be able to accurately understand the sub plans. That's a crock.



I disagree; see my answer to The Kidd.



Again, see above. It is a teacher's responsibility to provide appropriate sub plans - and having been a sub, I can say unequivocably that doesn't happen all the time. I can also say that the situation you cite is not the teacher's fault - the teacher, by your own description, left sub plans that dealt with the subject of the class. The district does it's best to provide appropriate subs, but sometimes they're just not available. That is not the teacher's fault, and the teacher should not be made the villian for it. I have been in buildings (high schools) where there was no sub, and the class was sent to the library so they'd be somewhere there was an adult to watch them - at least with an inappropriate sub, you still had access to your education. If you, or your child, finds yourself in the position you describe, complain - to the teacher, to the building, to the district - but don't be surprised when they tell you they do the best they can. Blaming the teacher for the scarcity of subs is hardly realistic.

Kacey,

You can disagree that is the greatness of the this country.

As to not calling in sick that would be absurd, to expect that. It what also be absurd to expect the school system to pay a fine. Where would the fine come from. Taxes. The budget would just have to go up in expectation for future fines they would have to pay on average. Not the best business plan.

I did not blame the teacher for the sub. I blame the system (* which includes the parents *). Personally I think teachers should make more money. I think they should have the authority to have authority in their classroom. There is no responsibility anymore. The parents want the system to teach their kids for nothing, and have no rights to punish bad kids or to try to persuade bad kids into behaving. The teachers have it hard. They have expectations of them that without their desire to teach their would be less in the field then there is. The parents do not take responsibility. Society has taken any authority from the teachers and the chidlren are not held to be responible for themselves.

BTW: The teacher I was referring to was one that spent most of the twenty weeks with his wife who was dying of cancer. My mother was dying of cancer as well. I was expected to make it to school everyday and get good grades. He did not. The Sub they ended getting for the long term sat there and read her romance novels. So yes this is a bad situation for all of us. I blamed the school system not the teacher for not getting on of the subs who could do math (* I knew there were some, but they were not as high on the list as the one we had. Yes this would have been 24 years ago. *) It was ok, for the teacher to spend what time he could with his wife. I respect that. But there were a lot of students who sufferend in other classes who were not smart enough to teach themselves. Was it his fault? I say no. Was he a jerk, yes, but that is independant of this. Was it the Sub's fault, no. Was it the systems fault yes.

So, I made it seem absurd with sarcasm, to try to charge fines for a parent missing a meeting.

So, if I have upset you I am sorry, it was not my intention.

 

[jdinca]

Hmm, can we fine teachers who don't show up for the meetings? I have a couple of kids with special needs and the meetings require certain people to be in attendance. They know they have to be there, they're given several weeks notice and quite often, a number of them never show up. There's been times that meetings have had to be rescheduled after the rest of us get tired of sitting and looking at each other, waiting for someone who never shows.

 

[MA-Caver]

How about this... if the parent is a working parent or even better, a single parent then if they DO show up for the meeting then the school recompensates them for the (total... including travel) time loss from work to avoid paying a fine for missing the Parent Teacher's meeting... turn-about-is-fair-play I think!

Who thought up this stupid thing anyway? Gee, just when you think the Darwin Award winners were supposed to get rid of stupidity in our gene pool... seems we got a long way to go.

That being said... parents should always take an active interest in EVERYTHING their child does, especially school work. I think it's great that now some schools actually send an weekly or bi-weekly e-mail to the parents of how well their kids are doing in school. In my day, my dad had to wait til I brought in my rank card to know if I was screwing around or not studying like I should been. At least with this method, caring parents can know up to the minute what's going on at school and can confront the problem asap.

 

[Phoenix44]

No.

 

[Don Roley]

I am mixed on this one.

With what I see in the article, no I don't think it is a good thing.

But I have been seeing a move towards taking away the schools' ability to punish kids and putting in the hands of the parents. This is more what I see here in Japan than in America but I do see some folks moving toward it.

And really, that is a tragedy waiting to happen. There are some parents that won't or can't control their kids. If America is going to let the teachers kick kids out of school or punish them, then I do not see the need to punish parents who will not take part in their kids education. But based on my experience in Japan, when you take a lot of the responsibility for punishing kids from the schools because the parents complain you open the door for little monsters to terrorize other kids because their parents won't act.

The education here in Japan is falling at an alarming rate. My advice to America is you either keep the responsibility for taming the kids with the schools or you force the parents to do something. This bill may be premature, but years from now it may become needed.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Depends on what the meeting is for? Each semester the teachers set-up appointments w/parents for each parents of each child. Time slots are issue and the Teachers has to be there if you schudule a time.

With the large amount students and records,forms,information a Teacher has to prepare for.....IF YOU DO NOT SHOW UP....wasting someone time and effort!

Should they be fine? A small $25.00 fine yes...A very large amount NO!
They do this because the have more reactions from the Parents who will call if they cannot COME-IN. (without fines---they do not call at all)

There are good reasons WHY? cannot show...this should be allow,..but for those Parents who are irresponsable....YES! and we all know who they are! ............

PS: Time today is very costly....Even our doctors charge for NO Show!