Should parents be blamed when kids fail at school?

[sjr09 155]

When kids are failing at school, who's to blame?

A number of states are pointing the finger at mom and dad.

Alaska and California recently passed laws allowing parents to be fined or brought up on charges if their children repeatedly miss school for no good reason. And Florida lawmakers are considering a bill that would have teachers give parents a report card.

Lisa Belkin writes for The New York Times:

Teachers are fed up with being blamed for the failures of American education, and legislators are starting to hear them. A spate of bills introduced in various states now takes aim squarely at the parents. If you think you can legislate teaching, the notion goes, why not try legislating parenting?

It is a complicated idea, taking on the controversial question of whether parents, teachers or children are most to blame when a child fails to learn.

But the thinking goes like this: If you look at schools that "work," as measured by test scores and graduation rates, they all have involved (overinvolved?) parents, who are on top of their children's homework, in contact with their children's teachers, and invested in their children's futures. So just require the same of parents in schools that don't work, and the problem is solved (or, at least, dented), right?

Click here to read the full article. What do you think? Should parents be held legally accountable for what their children do -- or don't do -- in school? Or is education the school's job? Do you think you're involved enough -- or too much -- in your child's education? Vote in our poll, and tell us what you think in the comments

[Ironman140 45]

Simple YES

[TheFantastics09 19]

We have something similar to this in Ontario. Any child habitually missing school under the age of 16 can face charges or fines as well as their parents. I personally am not a big fan of this... :/

And in direct response to your question, it all depends. If the parent(s) make no effort to work with their child, then they should be held somewhat accountable.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Schools love blaming parents. When my daughter was in school in AZ I got a call from a teacher telling me that my daughter shouldn't be showing up in class with candy because it apparently made her hyper. I told her I didn't even allow easter candy in my house and would she kindly update me when the school removed the candy machines and pulled the candy out of the lunch line. Never did her from her again .

[luckytxn 2,264]

Students failing in school are 100% the parents fault.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Yes. 100%, it's the parents fault.

[^_^ 5,021]

Yes. 100%, it's the parents fault.

Good to see you back, dude

[Laveau 67]

99.999% the parents. USUALLY, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. However, I have observed that rare kid who does well regardless of poor parenting and the rare kid who is rotten to the core despite having great parenting.

[Golden Gate 530]

Parents have a lot to do with how their children do in school and many parents back up their child's behavior, because they, themselves, have the same behavior. Probably a lot of these parents failed in school as well. Hard behaviors to change.

Edited May 24, 2011 by Golden Gate