Trigger happy parents

OK, Samual Radford III's 15 minutes of fame are officially up. The topic was the new 'parent trigger' law, which would give parents the power to make changes at failing schools. School Board member John Licata thinks parents of chronically absent students should not have a vote in turnaround initiatives. I agree with him. I only wish he would extend this proposed ban to parents of chronically disruptive students as well. Unfortunately, we'll never hear Scam Grandstander discuss this problem. Just about every teacher, cafeteria worker, and janitor in Buffalo will tell you how prevailant this issue is in most under-performing schools. I'd rather teach to an empty chair than to a student throwing one.

Here's what Scam has to say on the issue...

Poor classroom environments can cause high absenteeism, countered Samuel L. Radford III, vice president of the District Parent Coordinating Council. Radford said it would be unfair to lay all the blame for chronic absenteeism on parents or students.

I never knew chronic absenteeism was caused by "poor classroom environments." Most people think it is caused by poor home environments. If you can't blame the parents for chronically absent students, who do you blame? Radford loves to blame teachers for everything, yet never holds students or parents in Buffalo accountable for poor attendance/behavior. This is what happens in a society that makes excuses for poor behavior and gives everything away for free from birth. People come to expect everything and see no need in working for things. Radford needs to stop blaming teachers and start looking in the mirror. Many of the students in the low performing schools are not interested in working towards an education. They come to Kindergarten unprepared and without the most basic of life skills. Radford needs to realize that teachers should not be substitutes for parents. That's what he wants, however. He wants teachers to raise his neighbors' kids. Don't have kids if you're not prepared to raise them yourself.
Merits of 'parent trigger' law debated


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