Quote: Yes it is a tough job-- I get it. I have subbed for many years. I am a parent that does care, and does have nice relationships with most teachers. Even one of my sons old teachers will chat with me in the parking lot and tell me I was one of the good parents. I live in a small town of about 10, 000 people with 15 churches
My brother is a pharmacist and carries extra insurance because he gets his tires cut at work.
As a parent this has been my experience:
I was speaking of a specific teacher and admin is gathering information to fire her after a slew of parents came forward this past year. A friend was having a conversation with said teacher and that teacher turned around to berate a young child-- that friend walk away in sheer horor of the situation-- and filed a report.
My other son has a 504 and it is kept watered down and the teachers dont even follow what is on the 504. I"m having to spend precious money on hiring an expensive advocate; money I would rather be using to buy tickets to the zoo or sending him to a week of summer camp at WPI for robotics.
I have served for 3 years on the school council and watched NONE of our ideas be implimented. I have watched all these parents that want to be involved with school at the most involved level walk away when the truth is reveiled--- school does NOT want parents involved.
I have a child with communication problems and I cant get the teachers to communicate with me so he can hand his work in on time. I have asked what feels a million times for help for my son and I get retoric. I specifically asked this year( his English/reading teacher) about books like Treasure Island and other classics, wanting appropriate classics for a boy at his reading level -- and was told to have him read Harry Potter and other contemporary writers= clearly that door was shut in my face.
PS-- we have 23 kids per class room.
I have a live long love of learning and my kids are being held back in that learning. Even my youngest son was a child according to the principle a child that had come to her attention--- and in her words the kids that she learns first as a new principle are the problem kids-- my son came to her atention her first year for just the opposite reason including his perfect MCAS score.
I have banged my head for years trying to be involved with my kids educatin in public school and have never gotten anywhere's close to acheiving the relationship with school that I would like.
Near the end of the school yr of my sons 5th grade, his first year at the middle school, I was in the office and was asked to prove my recidency -- understand my kids have been at this public school since preschool--- after about 10 minutes in which they wanted me to bring in a tax bill, I exploded. A tax bill prooves nothing for recidency, only that a person pays taxes on property in said town. THe school adjustment councelor was called to the situation. SHe took care of the situation and I had to to nothing to prove my residency. ( ALl it would take is a phone call to the town managers office to see if we were voters-- proof of recidency is required for voting-- which is PUBLIC record. THe 2 women in the office were always cold and rude to me after that. UNTIL the principle started having once a month coffee clatches with parents and I attended them regularly-- THEN they started to be nice to me.
THIS has been MY experience dealing with a public school -- a parent that has been pushed out and kept marginalized when I would have been the FIRST to support school and the teachers and know all the priciples from many meetings. I WAS a parent involved-- school pushed me out of the way.
I have discussed this rift with a principle and he was dumb founded. Fell back in his chair with disbeleif.
This is why I spend as much time as possible keeping my kids learning at home and trying to fill in their education. I have only hit road blocks at public school.
