Mississippi bill would require teachers to grade parents

A bill introduced in the state legislature would include grades for parents on students' report cards, rating parents on whether their children turned in homework and how well they communicated with teachers, among other items.

Source

House Bill 4: Link

Download: PDF

Imagine getting a letter from your child's school because of their poor performance, stating that you have been found “unsatisfactory” as a parent.

How lovely...

Any student with a C, D, or F would be required the teacher of the student's parents to begin grading them on their involvement, concerning their child's education. While a good idea in theory, there can be many reasons why a student is struggling and the teacher must be careful when deciding how to judge. Children can lie easily and parents can cheat, both problems that the school may face when trying to understand and improve the reason for poor performance.

Report cards for kindergarten through 12th grades would have sections on report cards for parents to be rated as "satisfactory," "in need of improvement," or "unsatisfactory."

Florida lawmakers tried introducing a similar bill (Download: PDF) back in 2011, but it ultimately failed to see the light of day. Tennessee approved legislation back in 2012, but only grades parents until the end of 3rd grade and the evaluations are voluntary. Chicago experimented as well back in 2000.

Holloway said he has yet to receive any resistance to the plan. The bill has been referred to the state House Education Committee.

This may sound like a good way to get parents more involved, but the teacher may not always know best and could end up tearing some families apart based on false observations. What scares me the most is what these “unfit” parents may have to go through after they receive too many bad report cards.

"What we wanted to do is try to shock parents back into reality to say, 'If your kid is failing, then you are failing your kid," Rep. Gregory Holloway, a Democrat.

How quickly they point the finger. I can see this helping our own “failing” education system shift the blame onto parents who don't always have the ability to be at their best. Try to help your child in any way possible, even if that means seeking outside help. The less you are involved the more the government steps in to take over.

a reply to: eisegesis

Since Parents are not Enrolled in Miss. Schools , why would they somehow be Graded ? Talk about an Insane Idea .

They should put forth a bill that grades politicians, when they get a C, D, or F they're fired.

Exactly who judges them the ones who want to lay blame on someone other than who is really responsible for their failing schools?

Sounds good to me.

Parent involvement is the major difference in how a child performs at school.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: eisegesis

Since Parents are not Enrolled in Miss. Schools , why would they somehow be Graded ? Talk about an Insane Idea .

It's a back-door method to increasing taxes. Parents with children who bring down the school's average would be given a bad grade and have it passed on to the state and municipality. The next property tax bill would be higher. Probably better to live in an apartment, if this happens.

I don't think this is a good idea.

It will put teachers in a difficult and possibly dangerous situation.

It may have some positive impacts on some parents who didn't know their kids were screwing up. But the potential for disaster out weighs the benefits I think.

a reply to: eisegesis

I don't get it. I always hear conservatives assert over and over that the parents know better than the teachers how to educate their children. Why are so many upset over a plan that will hold them accountable and to back up their talk with actions?

I think this is a fantastic idea. Early developmental education is sooooo reliant on parental support and participation.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: eisegesis

Since Parents are not Enrolled in Miss. Schools , why would they somehow be Graded ? Talk about an Insane Idea .

Holloway said he didn't model his bill on any program, but got the idea after visiting schools. He noticed that the high-achieving schools also had strong parental involvement.

There's that, as well as the ability to shift blame onto the parent. This keeps the institution free of judgement, well funded and well integrated in you and your children's lives.

originally posted by: ShadowLink
They should put forth a bill that grades politicians, when they get a C, D, or F they're fired.

Excellent idea!

Throw in a few progress reports, mandatory check-ins, weekly expense reports, a 24/7 live feed and a dump button. Yeah, I'd feel much better after that.

This is bs. The government trying to put the blame on parents. How about grading the teachers. Schools now days don't have the teachers helping the students hand in their work. Now, teachers have bins where students hand in their work in the beginning of class. In my day, the teacher would go around the class collecting homework from each student. You made sure to do your work otherwise you would be ashamed if you didn't. How the hell are elementary kids now supposed to have that much responsibility. School isn't about having parents teach their kids (although I've already had to do that myself, and am very happy to do so), or children taking full responsibility for handing in their work. This is why teachers get paid, to teach students and help them along the way in school while being under their supervision, so do your damn job or otherwise find a different job. Yes there are those who do it because they love it, now days they do it for the money.

originally posted by: Annee
Sounds good to me.

Parent involvement is the major difference in how a child performs at school.

What happens when the school believes that you've "failed" your child?

originally posted by: eisegesis

originally posted by: Annee
Sounds good to me.

Parent involvement is the major difference in how a child performs at school.

What happens when the school believes that you've "failed" your child?

Imagine if the kid gives the parents an F for using marijuana medically(because of course it's not legal there). Unfortunately the kids will be put in the foster care system and the parents jailed. Seems like it's a rather easy way to find out what the parents are doing in their personal lives rather than ensuring the children's future.

Of course brilliant lets blame the failures on the parents not the teachers who travel to Mexico.

originally posted by: eisegesis

originally posted by: Annee
Sounds good to me.

Parent involvement is the major difference in how a child performs at school.

What happens when the school believes that you've "failed" your child?

Maybe the parent will try to improve their grade.

originally posted by: Abysha
a reply to: eisegesis

I don't get it. I always hear conservatives assert over and over that the parents know better than the teachers how to educate their children. Why are so many upset over a plan that will hold them accountable and to back up their talk with actions?

Exactly!

Complain, complain, complain.

But, when someone introduces a new idea involving responsibility - - - - nope, nope - - can't do that.

No one ever wants to actually do anything.

Well, the old adage it takes an entire village to bring up a child comes to mind here.

As for how some parents bring up their children, an X-Box and ipad just wont cut it these days, you must positively interact with your children.

Kids need constant parenting and discipline and love and care and to deny them that is to doom the next generation.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: eisegesis

originally posted by: Annee
Sounds good to me.

Parent involvement is the major difference in how a child performs at school.

What happens when the school believes that you've "failed" your child?

Maybe the parent will try to improve their grade.

I'm fine with your right to support it, but don't dance around the question. What happens when there is a conflict of interest or reason to believe that the child can no longer be helped by the parent? If the only recourse is that your child remains an idiot, then I guess the family is no better than when the program began. No added injury, only more insulted, lol.

School finishes when the bell rings.

And in that sense homework should be illegal anyhow.

It's slavery is what it is.
I never did homework, ever.

I'd bet I'm as literately sound as 99.9% of the boys in my old school that did.


Furthermore, wtf business is home life to a teacher anyways.


If they can't communicate with parents without "rating their performance as parents" they shouldn't even be teaching nor being made legal guardian of a child for 60% of the day.

Not to mention I see this affecting mainly kids from underprivileged backgrounds.


Recipe for disaster and government overreach all in one nice little neat and tidy fascist policy.


/rant.

originally posted by: eisegesis
How quick they point the finger. I can see this helping our own “failing” education system shift the blame onto parents who don't always have the ability to be at their best. Be at all times the best you ca be for your child, their future depends on it. The less you are involved the more the government steps in to take over.

That's it.

I have always said that if a child is willing to learn then the burden and faults of teaching should fall solely on the teacher. I mean, that is there job, isn't it? To teach? How do you even fail someone willing to learn? It makes no sense, but that is exactly what they do: they pass out test material, give a lecture, and then grade the child on how well they understood said lecture; and if a child fails, instead of blaming their own method, they blame the child or parent. And worst yet, I think most of them honestly believe they're in the clear with that kind of method - that teaching shouldn't require them to work with students - they honestly believe that students should magically understand every lecture, and if they can't, then it's the parents responsibility to teach them. It is beyond ridiculous - parents have their own jobs, they shouldn't be shamed into doing teachers' jobs for them.

If a person is willing to learn and you cannot put a lesson into terms they can understand, then that is your fault, not theirs.