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Internet Opens Up Schools to Parents: Web Sites, E-Mail Keeping Scottsdale Families Involved

Posted on: Sunday, 19 February 2006, 15:00 CST

By Andrea Falkenhagen, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

Feb. 19--With a few mouse clicks, Alissa Cohen can log on to Desert Canyon Elementary's School's homework Web site and see what assignments her sons Zach and Alex still have to complete.

Glenda Schillinger uses email to keep other parents updated on information about Cocopah Middle School, as well as to contact legislators.

Late at night, Tami Miller uses the Internet to read up on what's happening in her school district and at Kiva Elementary School, where her daughters attend.

For years, schools have preached more parent involvement. Now the Internet is allowing them to create vast online networks that are revolutionizing the way they interact with schools, district administrators and lawmakers.

"The Internet is probably the most important vehicle that we have now," said Dieter Schaefer, president of the Scottsdale Parent Council.

"It is instant, therefore it becomes more relevant. It's a fairly complex and solid network that gives us instant information."

The Internet is making parents more vocal than ever before, said Janey Kaufman, a curriculum coordinator in the Scottsdale Unified School District.

"They are able to get support groups online, from who knows where, and put all these plans in place," she said.

Some of these Web sites are local or state advocacy groups, such as Arizona Gifted Alliance, while others are national groups dealing with hotbutton issues, such as religion and evolution.

"Parents are finding more sophisticated ways to draw information through Web sites, then send that information on," said Mike Smith, an education lobbyist who has worked with the Arizona Legislature for 37 years. "In Scottsdale, the parents do an analysis of bills and send them out. It keeps people informed and mobilizes people. It's become an incredible piece of the whole legislative process."

THE E-MAIL LOBBY

Parents' efforts aren't lost on lawmakers.

"(The e-mail networks) make a huge difference in the amount of communication that we receive," said Rep. Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale, who regularly gets 300 e-mails a day.

Sometimes, one e-mail will turn into an ongoing relationship with the parents, she said.

Even at the district level, Scottsdale governing board president Jennifer Petersen estimated that 90 percent of all parent communication comes via e-mail.

While parents used to run letter-writing campaigns, Smith said the electronic version has one distinct advantage: "In the political process, volume counts to some degree, but under the 'old system' it was the same dang form letter. They were all the same. . . . They could sort of discount it."

The ease of e-mail means that, while parent councils often send out lists of points to make in the letter, it's easier for parents to customize it, he said.

"I think they have, to some degree, more impact because they are more personal," Smith said.

With thousands of Web sites at one's fingertips, parents -- and rabble-rousers around the country -- can easily find information on their pet projects -- like monitoring books with foul language or pushing for more arts education.

There is also no shortage of education blogs -- some written by teachers or parents, others by anonymous sources.

Last winter, a Scottsdale mother wrote on one blog that her daughter was being indoctrinated in Islam at Mohave Middle School.

Several sites had characterized a history textbook the school was piloting as inaccurate and anti-Semitic.

The blogs garnered attention nationwide from people who then inundated Scottsdale board members with letters and e-mails demanding the book be removed.

"Clearly we were on some blog and, wow, we were blasted from all over the country," Petersen said. "Not that we don't love communicating with our own parents, but I don't really want to go across the 50 states."

FANNING MISINFORMATION

Parents can also find detailed information about their schools on state education department Web sites, but it's not always easy to digest, said Sue Ferguson, chairwoman of the nonprofit National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education.

"It's important information -- that's what makes families move. But it's terribly complex and very confusing," she said of the data that can include a variety of test scores and statistics.

And there are other concerns, she said, that parents who cannot afford computers are left behind.

Action alerts from parent groups can also fan the flames of misinformation.

"Even as fast as technology is, by the time the e-mail goes out, the information could be incorrect," Reagan said.

For example, several days ago, she received a batch of emails in which people were complaining about a dollar figure under consideration for an English education bill -- one that committee members had already decided to increase.

"I've talked pretty candidly with the parent council members, and a lot of what they send out is completely legit," Reagan said. "But just like anything, you can't say that because you read it on the Internet, it must be 100 percent fact. There are two sides to every story, and when you're logging on to someone's Web site, you're only getting one side of it."

Sometimes, the attacks can get ugly.

"It can give people a certain sense of bravado, where perhaps they are harsher or use language they wouldn't say to your face," Petersen said.

Finally, while quick, easy, and sometimes effective, an email will never replace face-toface contact with a teacher or lawmaker, experts said.

"The highest level of impact is still that parent that shows up in a committee in person and stands there and says, 'I'm a parent and here's what I think,' " Smith said.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Tribune, Mesa, Ariz.

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Source: The Tribune

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