Parents’ Involvement Betters Education

By John Florez

I’m being an optimist in believing that if parents realized their schools were not preparing their children to succeed in today’s global marketplace they would start doing something about it.

They were warned that, “If schools gave tests (that) measured students’ reading, writing and math skills against employers’ requirements, parents would see the problem and demand solutions” (Murnane and Levy, “Teaching the New Basic Skills”). That was nine years ago. Now, students will have to compete for jobs with students around the world who have — thanks to the World Wide Web — access to the same information as your student. Parents believe that schools worked for them and now see their child learning many of the same skills they learned in school. But during the past 30 years, the skills required in the new economy have changed radically, while the skills taught in schools have changed very little. Parents need to realize that, for the first time in America, the next generation – - our kids and grandkids — will not be better off than the last. Yet, they fail to heed the warnings.

Today, many parents are stressed just trying to make ends meet. As a consequence, they want to believe the policymakers who keep telling them the schools are making progress and all they need is more money, more research, and better teacher training. In addition, the new code word is the “education gap” which, of course, calls for more data and more research. Some in education say that as professionals they know best and if they say, “schools are doing better,” then that’s all we need to know. Not only do some professionals intimidate parents, but also some school boards and school personnel often give the impression that it is their school, rather than the parents’ (the real stakeholders). Try to make change through school-board meetings where parents have three minutes to make their case. The only response is a courtesy: “Thank you.”

We applauded the millions of dollars given by businesses that rallied to promote economic development during the Olympics. Yet, they fail to realize the greatest investment they can make is to invest in their future workforce sitting in today’s classrooms eager to learn. Some in the business community seem content to sit back, and would rather blame teachers with 39 students in a classroom, who have to buy pencils out of their own pockets, for our faltering schools. When we rush to pay for an Olympic caldron but are reluctant to pay for education, it speaks volumes about our state’s values — what we say and what we actually do.

For our schools to change, parents must take matters into their own hands and demand our elected officials start listening to them as to how to prepare students with the “world-class” education they need. For starters, however, they could begin at home. They need to expect more from their children and themselves. Hard work and perseverance build children’s self-esteem, not doing things for them. They must create an environment that reinforces the value of education. They need to make it clear, by being there, that it is a priority to help support and encourage them as they do assignments, think through projects, find resources, discuss possibilities. Just as they spend time watching them play sports, they need to spend time reading to them, with them, or just being nearby. They need to be sure that their own daily interests, pursuits, and projects convey that homework is more rewarding and meaningful than watching TV or playing a video game. Together, enjoy surfing the resources of the local library, instead of surfing the Net. Parents, share in how easily the children move between the world of abbreviated text messaging and writing analytical reports, or short stories, or letters to grandpa.

Let’s have expectations from schools that they should accommodate the needs of today’s changing families — parents holding two jobs, single parents — rather than doing business as usual. Make schools more friendly and less contentious.

Let’s challenge businesses to do for our kids what they did for the Olympics.

Let’s have expectations of our children, that they will be more devoted to their studies and learning, and less to the instant everything else they seem to spend so much time with these days.

Parents need to have expectations of themselves and believe they can make a difference, that they will not be excluded or intimidated because they understand the problem and want solutions. Parents, you’re in charge.

Utah native John Florez has founded several Hispanic civil- rights organizations, served on the staff of Sen. Orrin Hatch and on more than 45 state, local and volunteer boards. He also has been deputy assistant secretary of labor. E-mail: jdflorez@comcast.net