Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy DS MUST go on field trip

Wow. Pemberley. That school seems very locked down, I would have a problem with that. The elementary schools my kids attended wanted and encouraged parents volunteers. The school my DD attended K-8 and my son K-3rd was really encouraging of parents in the classroom. You HAD to sign in, and it was at teacher discretion/invitation. And there were certain times like during the state testing that no parents volunteers were allowed in the school. But mostly the school was really open, and it allowed me to observe my kids in class without being obvious about it. Once they hit 6th grade, the schools didn't want volunteers IN the classrooms, but there was still plenty to do. I spend a year working in the copy room at my son's junior high. And I still help a the PTA run student store at the High School.

Those of you who were here for the last 2 years probably remember my descriptions of the horrible principal at that school. Just as was discussed up thread it was all about control. Oppressive, controlling and incompetent. She was finally removed at the end of last year (who knows - maybe my Dept. of Ed complaint could have had a little something to do with that...) and I have been told the replacement is as opposite as possible. It will take a while to remove all the toxic culture she left behind but many families are breathing a sigh of relief.

And sadly no it didn't really serve any purpose except to feed this horrible woman's need for control. Every article I have read about creating a positive school culture talks about the importance of an open environment and treating parents as partners in their children's educations. I guess that's the most common denominator here among parents who are unhappy with their child's school situation. If parents and kids feel disrespected - or worse like the enemy - it's not surprising animosity develops and our outside the box kids don't get their needs met.

All visitors to our building have to have their driver's licenses scanned on entry, and it pulls up active warrants and restrictions. And yes, that does seem awfully police state--but then again, we've identified and turned away a few people who were not supposed to be around children that way...

At our Title 1 school with appropriate id scanning, parents have very free access to the school and classrooms. It's part of the rules required for the funding.

Interesting. It's a Title 1 school that I'm talking about, where parents aren't really in the classroom (at least for grade 2+). I don't think they would ever refuse to allow a parent in, but the parent would pretty much have to insist. It was pretty obvious DS's 1st grade teacher didn't want volunteers. I told her I could volunteer once per week so she put me on a schedule 1-2 times per month. Parents wouldn't show up at other times, when they weren't scheduled, because then they would look/feel pushy. After about 3 months she stopped sending out the schedule altogether (not just to me, but to all the parents). So the overall message that parents get is that they aren't really welcome or wanted.

The FAQ on parental involvement is pretty informative:
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/parentinvguid.doc

Clearly some administrators do not have enough additional time to devote to actually reading for professional development.

They are very busy controlling things.

My children's school is Title 1 and operates very much like blackcat's. I don't believe licenses are actually scanned, but I'm not sure. They do print out a badge with a photo of your DL. This went into place after Sandy Hook. I am not aware of parents volunteering in the classrooms except for special events.

I believe all schools in our district now have the license/ID badge/locked-door policy. I don't like it and find it depressing, like my children are in jail. But I thought it had become common.

Some of the day care centre here have swipe cards and entrances where you have to go past a receptionist to get it. I removed my child to a less prison-like environment when a place came up.

To me the ability of parents to wander in and out of the school at will keeps the teachers honest. The school my sons go to only got a proper fence with gates that shut at the end of last year but the only gate that is locked it the one that opens on to a fairly busy road (busy for where we are not a 6 lane highway). I guess if I had a violent ex or something (mad people with guns) I might want more security but they actually manage ex husbands quite well.