AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine lawmakers are considering a bill to get parents more involved in their children’s schools.
Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Justin Alfond of Portland is sponsoring a bill requiring every school board in the state to develop a plan to engage parents in their schools. Those plans would be posted online by the state Department of Education so parents could access them easily.
The Maine Education Association testified in favor of the bill during a public hearing before the Education Committee on Tuesday.
MEA President Chris Galgay said research regarding parental engagement has long shown that when parents are involved in the education of their children, their children succeed.
This is a big waste of time. Parents who have the time, energy and forbearance to participate in school matters do. Those who don’t don’t. Making another unfunded mandate that imposes the cost and responsibility on the school district and taxpayers is a waste of time that could be better spent bringing jobs for those graduates to our communities.
I agree…we are involved with our children’s education by keeping in touch with their teachers, spending time with them working on homework, etc and making sure they understand the material.
I suspect if this passes, school boards will mandate that parents volunteer “X” amount of time. Neither of us has the time for that.
Truly a shame that an effort has to be proposed to legislate parents to actually be responsible and involved in their children’s lives……C’mon man, wake up parents and be there for your children….
Democrats sure do like forcing people to do things lately, don’t they?
Now here’s a wise, intelligent proposal to improve education, unlike the Bowen/Lepage plans described in a nearby article. Per PabMainer, it’s too bad it has to be required, but every bit helps. We were used to parent participation in our kids education and find it difficult to comprehend not participating.
lol
Now we are going to have legislation giving schools permission to order what parents need to do to be considered an *active participant*? I am a single parent with sole custody 24/7/365 of 2 children with autism spectrum disorders. I ALSO work full time. I consider myself very fortunate to even have a job so that I can continue to provide for my children.
Would the legislature be providing funds so that I CAN participate more in my childrens schools?
Parent’s who want to be involved, already are. I suspect many parents would be more than happy to volunteer, if they weren’t already working sometimes 2 and 3 jobs just to keep food and clothing, heat and a home for their children.
Legislation providing some protection from the outrageous prices of gas & heating fuels; improving education assistance/programs for parents, and encouraging long term stable business growth ~~ JOBS!!!!~~~ would be far more beneficial than some person who doesn’t know how much I already do, telling me I have to participate more at a physical location.
(Just in case you were wondering, we do NOT have cable, or video games, or cell phones with internet access.. we have regular home cooked meals, appropriate bedtimes and they are consistent A & B students. )