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$40 Day Initiative A breakthrough for parent rights in education

September 8, 2014 by Tunya

$40 Day Government Initiative Is An Article Of Faith In Parents

On July 31, 2014, BC Finance Minister, Mike de Jong, announced the $40 day initiative to pay parents during a teacher strike: "Parents can utilize that money to acquire tutoring for their children, they can use the money to explore other educational opportunities as they see fit and for some parents, it'll be basic daycare."

Headlines that call this payout “childcare subsidies” do an enormous disservice both to the intent of the funding initiative and the many efforts that parents are now assembling to keep up to their children’s educational needs.

Why isn’t some well-meaning media outfit reporting the many opportunities that parents, ex-teachers and community organizations have already organized for education, learning and skill training? Find out how many have already started homeschooling programs.

I’m really hoping this initiative is a start to government devolution of the rigid centralized system to one that will encourage and inspire people to innovate and find resources that will fulfill the diverse needs and talents of children in this modern era. The possibilities are immense and exciting. Why are we bound to these rigid, man-made regulations which so repeatedly cough-up turmoil to what could be nature’s way to be responsive and loving to people’s needs?

Let’s not forget what public education historically is about. It’s about states’ efforts to give all parents equal opportunities to have their children educated apart from those parents who have already been teaching them themselves, providing tutors, or sending them off to private schools. Government assistance to public education was never meant to be indoctrination through government schooling. It was part of the safety-net thinking to help those who were unable to do it alone, financially or physically.

This $40 day reimbursement is there to help those parents, who — having already registered their children in public schools — now find themselves deprived and left high and dry because of a walkout by government workers. By virtue of being the parents or caregivers they have a rightful claim to the education funds collected from taxpayers for the education of the young in our province.

Further down the line, parents will be negotiating for a claim for the education of their children 13 and older and for those needing extra premiums for special needs.

[published to CKNW article on “childcare”, and to BCCPAC 20140908]

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Parent Rights & Their Children’s Education

July 21, 2014 by Tunya

PARENT RIGHTS AND THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION

The Right to

1. Choice

2. Information

3. Be Heard & Consulted

4. Special Assistance

5. Involvement

6. Safeguards

7. Appeal

The rights compiled here are those that generally apply in most democratic countries. They have been gathered from sources in Canada, United States, England, and Australia. Some of these rights are self-evident, some are inscribed in law. Others are simply standards which parents have grown to expect when good educational practice is followed.

1. THE RIGHT TO CHOICE

"Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their

children." (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948)

This means, that while parents have a duty to see that their children are educated to a reasonable level of self- sufficiency and citizenship, they can choose how this is to be accomplished: public, private or church schools, tutoring, correspondence courses, home study, or other styles. If a style other than a public school is chosen and the parents are challenged, the onus is generally on the state to demonstrate that the child is not being educated at a level equal to his peers in a public school. The mandate of the public schools is to make available to all children in the community an education which is free, appropriate and equal. Parents have a right to choose and expect at least that minimum for their child.

2. THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION

In order for parents to make a proper choice, they need adequate information. They need to know enough details about schools so that when they do register their child into a particular school, they are in effect, giving "informed consent" for the child to be there. Equally important, they need ongoing information as the child progresses through the school programs so that they can maintain confidence and support for the school, or withdraw the child if things prove unsatisfactory. If theirs is a public school, parents need information for one other reason–to help them provide informed opinions to the school and to participate in school decision-making. Specifically, parents have the right:

a) to obtain sufficient details about schools to enable them to make informed choices about schools
b) to receive specific, understandable information about their child’s progress; strengths and weaknesses
c) to see all student records and files on their child, to expect that the information therein is confidential and respects the privacy of parents and student, and to request that inaccuracies and damaging information be removed d) to obtain information about any program in which their child is engaged, the rationale for the program, the evaluation methods used, and the credentials and job description of those implementing the program
e) to visit and observe any programs involving their child
f) to easy access to those working with their child (teachers, principal, specialists)
g) to receive information about school services–including alternatives in the system, procedures, rules, and to be informed about changes
h) to see that the public school board is operated as an open public business, that is, that the public has a right to see all policies, budgets, minutes, and official reports, and to see that decisions are made at public meetings.

3. THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD & CONSULTED

As advocates for their children, parents have a responsibility to inform public schools about their expectations concerning their children’s education. And this means that if the public system is to be responsive, parents must be accorded the right and the opportunity to be heard. They have a right to be heard by the teacher, by the total school staff (for example, on such items as philosophy, goals and programs), by the local school board and the higher educational authorities. Parents, as individuals and in parent groups, have a right to be heard when policies are being formulated, when planning is undertaken, when budgets are being prepared, and when evaluation is being conducted. They have a right to present briefs, make statements, and try to influence decision-making about schools their children attend.

4. THE RIGHT TO SPECIAL ASSISTANCE

Parents have the right to expect special services for children with handicaps, limitations, disabilities or exceptional talents. Parents also have the right in these instances to expect special assistance for themselves so that they can understand the situation and be enabled to continue helping their child. Parents whose children have been taken into care by the state (e.g., foster care, correctional institution) also have a right to expect special services to help their children continue their education, and for themselves so that they can maintain a helping contact as much as possible or desirable.

5. THE RIGHT TO INVOLVEMENT

Parents, as co-educators and guides of their child’s total education, have a right to be involved in that part of the child’s day spent in school. Particularly, it is important to know that parents have the right:
a) to understand the principles, aims and programs of formal education so that they can support, enrich and provide home follow-through to school programs. At times, parents have also found it necessary to have this basic understanding in order to provide external remediation or tutoring.
b) to have their child excused from programs or prescribed reading which offends the values of the home, when specifically requested
c) to consultation before fundamental changes are made which affect the parents, the child, or the total school climate
d) to participate in evaluation procedures affecting their child’s programs, and in formulation of policy, goals and shape of education
e) to be involved in the event their child is to be suspended from school. The student has the right to "due process" and parents and student are part of the affected parties to be heard before judgment or action is taken and before the student is suspended for just cause.

6. THE RIGHT TO SAFEGUARDS

Parents have the right to expect that a school system has certain standards that govern good practice. Specifically, parents have the right:
a) to expect safeguards which protect their children from physical, intellectual and emotional negligence or abuse; b) to receive assurance that their school does not allow unauthorized invasions of their child’s privacy or property (e.g., questionnaires which pry into family life, searches of lockers)

c) to expect that parental permission is required before psychological, psychiatric, or medical assessment and/or treatment of the child are undertaken;
d) to expect strict supervision over new programs, innovations and experiments, and that parents have special rights in these instances:

i) to receive a written description of the program, rationale, goals and supporting references; ii) to grant or refuse permission for their child’s attendance
iii) to receive satisfaction that the program is run by qualified, well-prepared personnel
iv) to be involved in the ongoing evaluation.

7. THE RIGHT TO APPEAL

Parents have the right to appeal decisions which they consider unsatisfactory and to report behavior which they consider might be incompatible with good educational practice. Parents should be informed of their lines of appeal, which generally start with the teacher, then proceed up through to the principal, the school board, to the government ministry in charge. Parents have a right to receive, on request, a written explanation which responds to their appeal, and which they might require in pursuing their grievance further up the ladder. Matters of law can be referred to a court for judgment, and the normal civil remedies exist when it is considered damages should be claimed.

Parent Role, Rights and Responsibilities in the Education of Their Children

With respect to educational rights, parents have a two-fold duty: to know and exercise their own rights, and to know and enforce their children’s rights. As users of the educational system, and as advocates for their children, parents are duty-bound to act well and wisely to see that the system works to the advantage of their children and the community’s children. If the rights here described are challenged by school officials, they have a right to ask why rights parents enjoy in other jurisdictions are denied them, And they have a right to receive an explanation.

Interwoven with rights are responsibilities and some of these have been mentioned earlier. Besides all that parents have to do to provide the kind of home life and support for good education to happen, they also have to do their part in building a co-operative relationship with educational authorities. Parents need that relationship to ensure that policies and programs are developed as close "to home" as possible – close to the important parent-child- teacher relationship. The rights enumerated here should provide the confidence and background to help build that co-operative framework.

REMEMBER: It has always been, except in totalitarian states, the duty of parents to educate their children.

England: It shall be the duty of the parent of every child of compulsory school age to cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability, and aptitude, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. (Education Act, 1944)
United States: The first School Laws in America (1642) underlie the system to this day: “Universal education of youth is essential to the well-being of the State. The obligation to furnish this education rests primarily upon the parents.”

Canada: “The responsibility is placed by law upon the parents or guardian to educate their children.” (You and the Law, 1973)
The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) supports this parental duty.

The public schools do have a statutory duty to provide a free education to all students whose parents choose to register them. However, it is made clear in all school law that parents are to be kept informed of the progress of the child. This information must be accurate and understandable to the parents so that they in turn can exercise their duty by supporting, augmenting, intervening or withdrawing from that school. Public schools serve a two-fold purpose: to assist parents in meeting their parental obligation in the education of their children and to serve the broader public interest in seeing that citizens are educated to a certain standard.

[Compiled in 1977 by Education Advisory, an independent research and advisory service in BC about effective parent participation in education. A grant from the Secretary of State (Ottawa) for a 3-yr period ($4800 – ’75-’78) enabled research and codification of the above Rights. Established to model a consumer advisory service in education EA produced newsletters, workshops, materials for parent advisory councils and research projects. This Rights Statement endures beyond that period and it was hoped that it would become a published part of the schools’ literature reaching parents. It was seen as essential parent knowledge for parents to be effective in their schools and on behalf of their children’s advocacy. This was identified early in the project as a priority by parents.]

Category Education Reform, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | 1 Comment
parent rights in legislation – utah

February 28, 2014 by Tunya

From The Salt Lake Tribune, Feb 27, 2014

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57607959-78/bill-parents-child-reasonable.html.csp

Lawmakers advance ‘bill of rights’ for Utah parents – SB122

Parents would have what amounts to a bill of rights in education under legislation forwarded to the full Senate on Thursday.

SB122, sponsored by Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, list the rights parents have when dealing with schools, including some new rights.

The bill aims to reengage parents who aren’t involved in their children’s education as well as those who have been shut out by educators, Osmond said.

He wants an education system, he said, that recognizes "the parent really is the lead" and that will customize education to get the best outcomes for students . . .

The version endorsed Thursday requires that schools make reasonable accommodations to let parents influence which teacher the child gets; visit classrooms; excuse a child’s absences; set the child’s level of academic rigor; excuse a child from statewide or national standardized tests; secure course credit if a child tests out or is competent in a subject; set the time for a parent-teacher conference; and be notified if a child violates discipline or conduct rules.

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Parent Rights Transparent and Enshrined in law

February 12, 2014 by Tunya

Yes, parents have rights in the education of their children. A few people may mutter: "But they have duties too." What I have found is that those in the know, or on the inside circles in education do know AND ENJOY these rights. But, they are not written down. This is unfair for the usually shy, trusting parents who first start seeing the need to advocate.

After a nearly half century of promoting parent rights there may finally be some breakthroughs to make parent rights more transparent. They need not be chiselled in stone on the townhall wall, but they should be prominent — on the school walls, library bulletin boards, in the students' daybooks etc.

Yesterday I read about Idaho, and sent this comment:

http://www.idahoednews.org/news/house-introduces-parents-bill-of-rights/#comment-188391

Transparent Parent Rights Long Overdue

Yes, many of the rights proposed are already there. But few parents really feel welcome in asserting them, even if they are well informed. Those who really benefit and enjoy their rights are usually parents in the professions, not your everyday parent. That is unfair. That is why this bill is a breakthrough and hopefully — eventually — these rights will be posted in all schools, hospitals, day care centers, government offices, etc.

What I would suggest, however, is that a working committee do more exploratory work on widening some of the rights, especially in education. With the Common Core Curriculum concerns being expressed it seems that parents have been quite excluded from what is being proposed.

I would suggest a look at this document that we compiled over 30 years ago when fads and experiments were the rage. http://genuine-education-reform-today.org/2010/04/06/parent-rights-and-their-childrens-education/

PS: I am from Canada. I wish you the best in this endeavour.

Today, I gained news of California's concrete proposals, based on research, to advance the parent cause.

This link to the 15pg report http://edsource.org/today/wp-content/uploads/Power-of-Parents-Feb-2014.pdf?utm_source=Parent-power+release+email+&utm_campaign=Parent+Power+Report+Release&utm_medium=email

I like this priority: "schools will be assessed as to how successful they are in working with parents.'

More later about California.

Category Education Reform, GOOD NEWS, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments
Teachers Who Are Parents Enjoy More Access to Rights

January 22, 2014 by Tunya

Ever wonder why Parent Rights are not written down anywhere — not at the school or the school board? Parents do have rights — see http://genuine-education-reform-today.org/2010/04/06/parent-rights-and-their-childrens-education/

It’s much more convenient for a smooth-running system not to have assertive consumers.

But teachers, who are themselves parents, know these rights well and in a public school system many services are scarce and rationed. Teacher/parents (T/Ps) know how to work the system on behalf of their own children. T/Ps, being thus satisfied, do not generally see how unfair this is for parents who do not have the inside advantages.

1      Teacher/parents know the language, the words, to use.

2      T/Ps know how to navigate the system: who to see, what to say, what to ask for.

3      T/Ps know how to interpret assessments, scores and evaluations and know where their child really stands in grade level and expectations.

4      If the student is behind in reading, for example, the T/P can make up the deficiency at home or hire a tutor for precisely what is needed.

5      T/Ps are at an income level where buying extra tutoring is no problem.

6      If the T/P’s child might be special needs a psychosocial assessment is readily arranged — contrast with the often two-year waiting period for other parents.

7      Once such an assessment is made, an IEP (Individual Education Program) is negotiated between school and parent, and here again the T/P is advantaged because of knowledge of the maximum that can be available.

8      Once the IEP is in place, extra funding and resources are made available.

9      If a T/P sees there is a poor fit between their child and a teacher it is relatively easy to switch teachers as again, the “insider” language is a bonus — knowing how to explain why the child would be better off in an “unthreatening” way that does not reflect on the other teacher helps.

10 T/Ps feel keenly the urgency of child growth and development — he’s a child only once coming this way — and press their case with adeptness and urgency which in other parents would be seen as “pushy” or “helicopter parenting”.

11 T/Ps are knowledgeable about the legalities of malpractice and can use this as background allusion to further press their case if needed.

12 T/Ps are conscious of the safeguards that should be in place in cases of bullying, adoption of new untested programs or psychological invasions of privacy and know how to insist on safeguards or know how to exit from questionable practices.

13 T/Ps know full well what is a healthy and productive learning experience and if all efforts fail know how to ride out a crisis and provide make-up solutions or antidotes at home.

14 T/Ps know that they are the client in a school situation when their child is at issue and know the routes, angles and procedures to follow if they meet with resistance instead of responsiveness and are not easily discouraged from pursuing their rights and entitlements.

15 T/Ps fully know parent rights in education and just don’t want them written down for other parents to know.

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Older Entries

Parents Teaching Parents

$40 Day Initiative A breakthrough for parent rights in education

Parent Rights & Their Children’s Education

parent rights in legislation – utah

Parent Rights Transparent and Enshrined in law

Teachers Who Are Parents Enjoy More Access to Rights