Don't go to Parent Teacher Conferences...go to jail?

That is more nanny state bs! What would the charge be I wonder...child neglect...teacher abuse? My youngest daughter's grade school wanted to require parents to volunteer in the classroom a certain number of times each year but that idea was quickly shot down fortunately.

Oh, so it's important these teachers see the parents at the TEACHERS' leisure? Boy, my opinion changes about teachers constantly. Take a slight pay cut in Jersey because the entire state is about to go under, they picket and parade and complain about making MORE THAN MOST EVERYONE ELSE not hooked up with a government or union (extortion) job. Kids' constant failing is blamed on soceity, homelife, and a trillion other factors OTHER than the teachers. They can do damn near anything to kids and still make their salary in some cases. Now parents MUST attend? No. How about teachers pay home visits if they really need to speak to parents? Phone conference? A special meeting during school hours at the parents' leisure? A bunch of crap here, seems like.

In my opinion parent teacher conferences are a waist of time. When my kids were in school back in the 70's and 80's I went to these conference but all they ever told me was how great it was to have my kids in their class. when My daughter hit the grade that they diagrammed sentences I ask the English teacher why they needed to learn it so I could explain it to her. He didn't know. I don't think he knew why he was teaching English at all. Then when my granddaughter was in 4th grade her teacher told me her papers were too messy. They had pretty much stopped teaching penmanship by then. I ask her to look at the papers after I made her do them over Just to check for neatness. She didn't have time. For crying out loud not time to look at a paper for neatness and hand it back? I could pretty much keep up on how the kids were doing by the school work papers that were sent home. I think it be terrible to prosecute parents for not going to parent teacher conferences. Thats going way to far. I hated those fund raiser where the kids had to sell things. Usually it was too high priced and or just junk. Not all kids are sales persons. Then they would also send home a not saying not to go door to door.

If you want parent participation in their children's education go to vouchers and let the parents choose the school and the school choose the students. Why should a parent attend a conference when most of what they will hear is the need to support the next spending increase so that their child can have a good education. Give the parents the choice and the schools the power to remove students who are disruptive.

Teachers never want to talk to parents with students that actually have problems. They only want to talk with parents that have children with good grades. Parents try their best but the teachers are failing. Most teachers give up on certain students and you can't tell me other wise.

It is important to our children;s education to have parents and teachers working together. Parents need to attend parent teacher conferences that they are invited to. I think getting arrested and threatened with jail is a little extrema. What good can that possibly do to fuerther the education relationship with your children's teachers?

Nanny state's attempt to deal with a real issue, most likely. Sure, something needs to be done...but governments rarely handle any situation where "something has to be done", a heavy hand because the person(s) who do do something either don't truly care or feel panicked. Would it help? Not necessarily. Just because a parent shows up because they don't want the fine, doesn't necessarily mean they care. Besides, some parents might not show up because of work...and in this economy... Besides, our court system CAN'T deal with unimportant stuff like non-violent, non-harmful crimes right now, not really.

This is just more of the current trend of young, liberal teachers truly believing that they are substitute parents of your children. I understand that they want to save the world one child at a time, but it should be evident by now that they are failing miserably at it. They are supposed to educate the children, not psycho-analyze them, not become their best friends or their heroes. They should be teaching. They have given up so much of the actual teaching in favor of this sort of social engineering/re-education BS that test scores everywhere in the US have been falling for years. Yes, parents should be involved in school to some extent. They should talk to teachers on a semi-regular basis. But it's much more convenient for teachers to meet with parents than it is for parents to meet with teachers. The teachers are already at work, they aren't going to get in trouble with their employer for taking time out for school meetings. Employers these days are in the power position, as they always are when unemployment is high and workers are easily replaced. It is not uncommon for employers to make it difficult or impossible for working parents to take time off for attending activities involving their children. I once had a supervisor who gave me a warning because my kids were sick too many times in a short period of time. But it's one thing to put your job in jeopardy because your child is vomiting and feverish and quite another to lose the job that supports that child because some teacher wants to have a conference on a particular day and time that your boss expects you at work. I guess I think that the state has been slowly moving towards the concept that parents are not fit to raise children, or at least, not without the state to guide them.

Hi, lilwonders456. I think that this is so absurd. What would make her decide upon this. If they do this, then they mind as well, have it to where parents can fine or prosecute teachers that does not help their child to learn well in school. What a dump proposal that Kym Worthy has made..

Lil, in many areas they are talking about firing teachers because their students aren't learning at the levels they should. So why shouldn't the parents be held responsible for their child's educations? The problem today is that some parents don't want to deal with their children or their eduction, so they leave it up to the schools. That isn't how it should be.

This is a totally ridiulous idea. Its like big brother is watching and we better do as we are told or you will go to jail. Give me a break. Its like people are losing their rights left and right. There has to be a better way to get a parent to a parent teacher conference. Maybe if you the parent doesn't show up the child gets a lower grade. There are so many other things the schools can do then try to prosecute parents and tie up the courts more then they are already.

Of course that is just overdoing it. Some parents are really busy trying to make a living for their family and be bothered by teacher-parent conferences. It may help parents keep on an eye on their child more, but really? There is no need to take such extreme measures especially when there are cases where parents having to deal with two shifts just to take care of the poor child. Laws would soon no longer be taken seriously as before and there would be protests against from parents who truly can't make it. Save the country some effort to put that effort elsewhere instead of fining or throw parents in jail.

No, it shouldn't happen, it's the dumbest thing I've ever heard and what teacher would really want to have a parent teacher conference with an angry parent anyway? I can see it now, "Hello, I'm Bobby's mom so start talking and make it quick". You can't force parents to care, which is sad but you can't.

And there was me thinking it was only the previous UK administration who were control freaks! What about night workers- take a day's holiday, or a sickie? We have governments who cannot enforce dangerous dog legislation, but are willing to criminalise parents! Madness.