Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 21 August 1997 — Page 2

The Muncie Times, August 21,1997, Page 2

EDITORIAL Educational success depends on parental involvement

The summer is winding down. It is almost time for schools to reopen and for children and teachers to go back to their classrooms, as another school year begins. This is a good time for parents and their children to sit down and talk about schooling and education. Some African American parents have gotten a bad rap that they are not interested in their children’s education. They are accused, some deservedly so, of not helping their children with homework or even ensuring that

the homework is done. Others are accused of letting their children watch too much television, when they should be studying. Still others say African American parents care little about their children’s education because they do not join PTAs, visit their children’s schools or show up for parent/teacher conferences. Some are tagged as being unconcerned about whether their children go to school at all, about a lack of interest in what the children leam/don’t learn about failure to

encourage their offspring to succeed in school. The litany drags on to include lack of interest in grades received and to paying more attention to clothes and shoes they wear to school than what they leam. We are encouraging parents to change that attitude. If our children are to succeed in school, their home environments have to change. Parents and others in the community have to become proactive toward education. So should aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and other family members. If we are to take the African saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” seriously, then we have to become fully involved in the raising of children—all children—in our communities. This is not a spectator sport. It should and must require total involvement by the total community. But the seeds have to be planted at home. Only those with poor parenting skills can seriously believe that if they don’t encourage their children to leam, the children will leam on their own. Parents send verbal and non-verbal signals about required and acceptable behavior. The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) are pushing an agenda that requires parents and their children to read together every night. Under that scenario, the TV would be The Muncie Times mail subscription rates are $15.00 annually. Mail check or money order to: The Muncie Times Mail Subscription Dept. 1304 N. Broadway Muncie, IN 47303

turned off while people read or the children do their homework. It is an approach that we heartily endorse and encourage. It is healthy to turn the TV off now and then. Setting aside 2 to 3 hours every night for reading, without the TV being on, would be a powerful and healthy start. Teachers and school administrators play a major role in the education of our children. But they cannot do it by themselves—nor should they. Parents have an obligation to see that little Sue and little Joe read and do their homework. If parents read, their children are likely to follow suit. If parents demand to see that homework is done, before their sons and daughters go to play, watch television or talk on the phone, it will get done. The education of our children is far too important to be left to outsiders only. If we care about what kinds of children we are raising, then we should care about their education, because that can often be a predictor as to what kind of adults they will be. If we want our children to succeed, then we must equip them with the necessary skills and tools. Going to school requires more than trendy clothes and

shoes. It requires an attitude to recognize that education is the gateway to the future and to success. It requires a recognition that whose who get a good education now have take major steps toward becoming tomorrow’s leaders and professionals. It is important, therefore, that parents should be interested in their children’s education. They should encourage their children to go to school, complete homework assignments, leam and do well in school. They should point out rewards that come from getting a good education. Parents need to visit their children’s schools, even if there is no problem. They need to commit themselves now to attending parent/teacher conferences and to keeping in touch with their children’s teachers and checking regularly on their children’s success in school. If we care enough about our children and how they will turn out when they become adults, we should demand and expect no less. We cannot afford to imbue in our future generations an attitudes that accepts educational failure as the norm. That is the challenge facing us as the 1997-98 school year is almost upon us.

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