The Black Informant

Mayor: Take away parents’ excuses

Wharton says parents must step up if helped

By Alex Doniach

commercialappeal.com

The idea came to Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton in church on a Sunday — help parents get involved in their children’s education and punish those who don’t.

“I’d like to redefine child neglect to include the failure, without justification, to take part in your children’s educational progress,” Wharton said Tuesday during a State of the County address to the Rotary Club. “And yes, it would cost you something.”

Wharton’s budding idea is two-fold: First, help parents get involved by easing the financial burdens. For example, provide babysitting or rides so parents can attend parent-teacher conferences.

Then, change state law to punish parents for neglecting their children’s education, for sitting on their hands as children fail or drop out of school.

“When we give you the way to get here and we take away every crutch that you’ve been using as to why you won’t come in and sit in and get your child in a tutoring program, then you deserve to be punished,” Wharton said.

The idea would require money and changes in state law. And Wharton was vague on specifics. (more…)

For example, provide babysitting or rides so parents can attend parent-teacher conferences.

Okay, this is nonsense. If a parent wants to go to the club, they will make a way were there is no way without the help from the city or state. People do what they want to do and there is nothing that will change that.

Then, change state law to punish parents for neglecting their children’s education, for sitting on their hands as children fail or drop out of school.

That line speaks for itself.

Now I can understand the frustration that some folks may feel about the lack of parental involvement in the lives of their children. But making government play parent to parents for not showing up for parent/teacher meetings is a wrong move. The next thing you know, parents will be getting paid to show up.