Report Cards for Parents? FAIL!

on February 8, 2011 at 8:09 PM

In Florida, state representative Kelli Stargel has introduced a bill that would grade parents on participation in their child's education. Right there on the child's report card, parents would receive a mark of "satisfactory," "unsatisfactory," or "needs improvement." And here ladies and gentleman we have the first attempt to put a bona fide helicopter parent law on the books.

If it does become law, the grade would be based on three things as stated in the bill by Stargel: 1) A child should be at school on time, prepared to learn after a good night's sleep, and have eaten a meal; 2) A child should have the homework done and be prepared for examinations; and 3) There should be regular communication between the parent and teacher.

All good things, no doubt, but what about teaching our children individual responsibility? I already question if I should be as involved as I am in my son's education.

Before he started first grade this year, people told me to get ready for the big change, that this was the year homework really starts full-force. That my life was about to change.

MY life? Why would my life change? His would no doubt as he would have to make time to do it, but mine wouldn't be affected other than making sure he had a pencil. It would not be the mommy-and-Nolan homework hour; it was his homework, and he'd do it.

Oh how wrong and naive I was. All his homework has to be physically signed by me, which means I have to review all of it with him. There are notes and instructions for parents nearly every night. And while he's in a private school and the expectations may be a bit more than some, a check with friends across the country tells me few children are actually doing their homework on their own these days.

What happened? When I was growing up, my parents never even looked at my homework until there was a grade on it. They may have asked if I'd done it, but they left it up to me to make sure I had. If I didn't do it correctly, then my teacher and I would work it out, and I would learn.

Now we have to hold their hands each and every step along the way? I just can't help but imagine we're all going to be living in parent-child dorms at universities some day.

Yes, parents should be involved, and encouraging that is great, but giving parents a grade isn't the way to do it. We're already judged enough for our efforts without having a teacher give us a bad mark. Instead of fostering a sense of partnership between parents and teachers, it seems it would likely create a greater divide with issues of blame. And, most importantly, the last thing children today need is another excuse to not be responsible for themselves and their choices.

Do you think parents should be graded for their involvement in their child's education?

Image via laszlodemo/Flickr

About the author Julie Ryan Evans

can be found writing from coffee houses wherever she may be. The quality of her days is largely influenced by the seat she nabs and whether a protein plate is available.

Filed Under: middle school, homework, grades, elementary school

Comments (53)

potterpeaches

on Feb 8, 2011 at 8:14 PM

I agree with it for younger children, but highschoolers need to be taught to take responsibility for their own timekeeping and homework if they're ever going to survive in the real world.

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sofia0587

on Feb 8, 2011 at 8:37 PM

I personally don't think so because even if you work with your kid and have them be prepped they could be a little slower and parents would get blamed for it.

Nonmember comment from Anon

on Feb 8, 2011 at 9:01 PM

We're spending how much per child to send them to school? For the parents to teach them? No. I finished 21 years of school, thank you very much. I do not need any more homework. I learned a lot by being responsible for my own. My parents never even asked about mine; my teachers enforced the requirements. ... My kids got homework for a while when they were 3. I would provide a place and time for them to do it. I told the teacher that I would NOT be doing it for them. Nor would I edit, correct, or re-teach. They would turn in whatever THEY did. I think that is what should be happening in elementary school, too. ... As for the "graded" areas, how do they even know what the child has eaten, how well she's slept, or whether the parents give a damn about her education? I feel I do my kid more good by letting the school focus on schoolwork, so I can focus on other things that are also important. My kids will arrive at 1st grade knowing more than the average kid and having the ability to learn. That should be more than enough. ... BTW, do the teachers get grades from the parents??

PonyChaser

on Feb 8, 2011 at 9:29 PM

Every time parents (or taxpayers) ask for a grading system for school teachers, there is a massive hue and cry about how that is unfair, that teaching is not a "measurable task", etc., but it's ok for them to grade parents? I don't think so.

I agree that children need to learn to manage their own time. There's no way that they're going to learn if their parents are doing everything for them.

It's offensive that, once again, because of a few bad apples, everyone gets thrown under the bus. Because lets face it... most parents do the best they can.

DebaLa

on Feb 9, 2011 at 12:28 AM

I can see a required general orientation each semester with a hand-out of responsibilities that needs to be turned in, but not this. Seems to me it would target parents of early learners from challenged and poor households, marginalizing those students right from the start… the ones with the attendance and breakfast problems the bill is aimed at. Further, it doesn’t have a category for Excellent or Above Average, only for Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory or Needs to Improve. And it would certainly get rid of the free/reduced breakfast program. If so, clever, but it’ll never fly; it has all the earmarks and common sense of the Butterfly Ballot. File it under "Yet Another Waste of Taxpayer Time and Money."

Facebook comment from Summer Len Davis

on Feb 9, 2011 at 10:02 AM

Yes I do think that parents should get a grade in their participation in their child's education! I don't think that the bill is targeting parents who help (or don't help) a child with their homework. I think it is more targeted towards parents who are neglecting their children in fundamental ways which in turn affects their education AND the education of the children around them.

As a parent, I am my son's #1 teacher. He comes home from school and immediately starts his homework...alone. I then check it for errors and if he has any, I tell him which numbers are wrong. I do NOT tell him what is wrong until he gives each problem an honest attempt and still can't figure it out. More often than not, he figures it out himself. Teachers can't be 100% responsible for YOUR child's education. And I believe that it is your job as his/her parent to teach him to be responsible for his mistakes and learn to fix them. But through adolescence, they might need a hand to hold during that difficult lesson.

Facebook comment from Julia Kantorik

on Feb 9, 2011 at 10:04 AM

I don't see much of a problem with it, at least to an extent. Sure, I'm going to make sure that my kids get their homework done and I will help if they need help but it will still be their responsibility to do it. I'm not going to help with every math problem or spelling word but I will look it over when they are done to see that they have completed the work sheet, no problem. Then again, I'm headed into teaching myself... I think that the requirements of a good nights sleep and having been fed breakfast before school are great requirements that no one should have to be told to do! I can't tell you how many times I am woken up at 3am by school kids running around and screaming outside my apartment. It's ridiculous. Perhaps a grade for parents will help those who suck to step it up a notch and, perhaps, care a little bit about their kids education. It's the one thing that will make or break you when you finally get out of school.

Bree1984

on Feb 9, 2011 at 10:08 AM

You mean, you actually have to take responsibility for your child? What a novel idea. I hope getting up to make breakfast isn't too stressful on these parents. And teaching them good homework skills? Well, that should be up to the school along with teaching them social skills, personal responsibility, and sex education.

on Feb 9, 2011 at 10:16 AM

I am the first person to agree that kids need to sleep and eat and come to school prepared to learn. BUT (a) it's not the school's role to enforce this, and (b) they could not prove it one way or the other. I could put my kid to bed at 8 and she might be up with nightmares or coughing half of the night. Suppose I send her to school and tell her to lie about her sleep / breakfast? I mean, come on. ... Accountability is already on the parents because they are the ones who have to deal with their child for 18+ years. Teachers' accountability (to the extent it exists) ends after 9 months, and yet they aren't getting report cards.

Anastazia975

on Feb 9, 2011 at 10:23 AM

If you do not want to be an active participant in your child's education, don't have any. Yes parents and teachers should get graded. It is ultimately the parents responsibility to ensure that home work is checked, done correctly. Teachers are not responsible for all aspects of teaching. Lead by example. Make the time. Yeah times are tough. Get over it. You and all the other parents made a choice to bring a life into this world, so be responsible for it.