My response to the question "Do you believe in mandatory parent volunteer hours?" was wrong in the Blade this morning. The answer I gave to the Yes/No question was
I am not for mandatory parent volunteer hours
By chrismyers - Posted on October 26th, 2007
If it will relieve some of our taxes, I'm for it. Expecially since I've put in well more than my share at the schools. Even if your working, you can help with something, call them and ask what they need.
When my child was in elementary school, his teacher sent out a note that the kids needed pumkins for a project. A local farmer, and father of a classmate sent in 50 some pumpkins for the kids. Just goes to show that most folks want to help but dont know how.
Personally, I'm sick to death of those fundraiser. If one more kids tries to sell me cookie dough I'll scream.
Dottie
...that parental engagement is critical and makes a world of difference in a child's educational outcome.
But it must be somehow accomplished legally.
Parental involvement makes a big difference.
The welfare mothers that you propose have so much time during the day and the people who qualify for section 8 according to your program should have to volunteer mandatory hours to the schools that their child attends before they could get a welfare check or food stamps.
I have a few questions about your theories. #1 If a parent refuses to volunteer at their child's school does that mean that their child/children don't eat for that month or don't have housing for that month? #2 The people who get the farm subsidies from the government do they also have to volunteer mandatory hours at their child/children's school. #3 Jeep who received tax abatements from the city I believe, does that mean that the employee's have to volunteer mandatory hours to their child/children's school?
Is this program that you propose just for the welfare recipients and section 8 housing recipients? Or should everyone who profits off of the government have to do volunteer mandatory hours at their child/children's school?
This question from a person who has never received a welfare check (and have raised 6 children)or food stamps.
It's so very sad that so few parents take the time to spend a few hours a week/month in their children's school. When we hosted echange students, we were at the school all the time. I went in at least once a week and we talked often with teachers/ school staff.
For me it's a little more personal that parents are not more involved in their children's lives. If we had children of our own, we'd be there for them too. Parents take it for granted that they've been blessed with the privilidge and responsibilty of raising a child. That includes being the most pro-active supporter of your child's success, especially in the school years. Parents who are not involved of their own valition ought to be ashamed of themselves. Everyone's lives are busy, but if your children are not at the top, your priority list is screwed up.
I applaud the parents to do take the time, God bless ya. You will see in the years to come what a difference it made to make a small sacrifice now. :-)
Being old school, I thought it was helping the teacher out in class, in hallways or the lunch room. I have asked to volunteer in lunchrooms and have been told that that is a union job. I was able to volunteer at Grove Patterson's lunch room when my children went there but I was not allowed to talk to the students, even my own children. I was also only allowed to do it for one period, for a week once a month, even though they had no one else for the other periods.
TPS does not want parents in schools. What part of that don
other hand think that this is just stupid thinking!
""The families that do not work and receive welfare and food stamps should be required to service volunteer hours, at their child's school. They would only receive these allowances, if they completed the number of volunteer hours in their childs school for the prior month. Therefore, in order to receive next months food stamps, welfare or section 8 payment, you need fullfill the volunteer obligation. Hopefully, this will encourage their student to do his or her best at school.""
If I were a child and due to the economic status of my parent/parents and circumstances beyond my control, my parent or parents received welfare, food stamps and Section 8 housing and if that was taken away from my family because they did not volunteer for the previous month at my school, I don't think I would be encouraged to do my best in school. Everyone knows that a hungry child does not do his/her best in school or any place else.
That is just plain stupid.
I have been actively involved in education reform for almost 13 years (go ahead and call me nuts because I must be). PPS made a number of proposals to get parents involved. We wrote several proposals - in all cases the district would not partner. We even had some funding sources to do it without TPS money. You talk with other community organizations about their efforts on a variety of projects and you hear the same story.
I have had countless conversations with parents. As long as you are quiet, you can volunteer. State a criticism and you are out. The district understands that if parents were in the schools, a lot of things would have to change. So it is best to discourage all those eyes from seeing the truth.
Parent involvement at schools depends entirely upon the principal. If a principal sees it as positive, parents are usually welcome. But the building committee can make it tough for a principal to "manage" the school so even a principal that believes in engaging parents can be muzzled.
My experience is that the district uses the mantra of parent involvement as PR and a reason to blame parents. And it seems to work based upon what I hear the uninformed citizen saying here and in our community. Want to find out, try to volunteer. If you do make it, watch and when you see a problem, bring it up. Bring up issues you find on a regular basis (even offer solutions), criticize a teacher for poor behavior, dress or the way they interact with students and you will be out of that school before you even get through the door - even if the other teachers agree about the performance of one of their own, the others are fearful they would be the next "target". It's just a tragic cycle and it all goes to attitude. There is no accountability!
As to mandatory parent volunteer hours, do we really want a bunch of people in our schools that don't want to be there but have to be? That has problems as well!
And for those who want to know, my wife and I were as active as any parents could be. I have my own stories about TPS that could make a nice long dissertation.
1. Ensuring Students Achieve
2. Ensuring Schools are Safe and Respectful
3. Safe, Modern School Facilities
4. Fixing Special Education
5. Engaging Parents, Guardians, and Community Partners
At the heart of all work to improve public education is the goal of ensuring high levels of academic achievement among all of our students. The focus on student achievement demands an intense focus, a strategic prioritization of resources, and relentless attention to implementation.
Our starting point is sobering. We have all seen the data, so often that for some of us, we are numbed, no longer enraged. On average, our students are performing poorly by any measure.
To succeed, we must support and expand what has worked well before
Oxymoron.
I don't want to go Google the definition, but wouldn't "Mandatory Volunteer" qualify?
Yes, tpsteacher24 that parent would be me.
If you had one of my children for a student could I volunteer in your class? Or what if you had my grandchild, could I volunteer in your class?
Yes, it is necessary to be harsh with people who make the kind of statements that you do. It is just real stupid to think that the only parents who don't "volunteer" in their children's schools are parents on the low end of the economic spectrum and as a punishment you would deprive these children of food, clothing and shelter.
Bishop:
The program that you are suggesting is already being implemented (somewhat haphazardly) in the Toledo Public School System. There are called SEAC but I don't remember what the acronym stands for. There is one in the Boys and Girls Club on Detroit ave, there is one I believe in the Toledo Family Center on Summit, one is called ARC for
the Start district and I think there is one at the YWCA in downtown Toledo. They are not very effective and not too many people know about them.
"I personally feel that our state and schools need to work more closely together. The families that do not work and receive welfare and food stamps should be required to service volunteer hours, at their child's school. They would only receive these allowances, if they completed the number of volunteer hours in their childs school for the prior month. Therefore, in order to receive next months food stamps, welfare or section 8 payment, you need fullfill the volunteer obligation. Hopefully, this will encourage their student to do his or her best at school. Further, these parents have the opportunity to be more involved during the day. This may eliminate a cycle of mentality that is so easiely accepted in our society. Lets make the systems work together.
There are unlimited volunteering tasks at our schools, just as catholic schools require. However, I do feel the district needs to make it more friendly and provide a policy district wide. Not all schools are as welcoming. I am grateful that mine are."
NOT a thing about poor not volunteering. Hell I am poor! What I said was the state and public schools should collaborate more effectively. For the parents that do not work and receive assistance from the state, they should be spending their days in the school volunteering.
Where do you pull this shit out of? Always so defensive, always..............
out of what you wrote. I am not being defensive as I am not defending myself. And so what if I was being defensive, you are "attacking," attacking people on welfare, who receive food stamps and who are on section 8 housing.
These people are not receiving any more than any other group of people who receive subsidies from the government. So why have you not attacked farmers who receive the farm subsidies, do they not have school children?
Jesus said "what you have done to the least of these, you have done unto me." Or something pretty close to that. Morally, what you have said is wrong.
The unemployment rate in Toledo is pretty high, so even using your theory that everybody receiving food stamps, welfare and section 8 housing should be in the schools volunteering, what do you think the unions would have to say about that? I would like an answer to this question if you can answer it.
You are pretty close to the union heads so what do you think they would do if every unemployed person(receiving food stamps, welfare and section 8 housing) with children in TPS showed up Monday morning to volunteer (in the day time).
By the way most of the people who receive these aids are working, sometimes more than one job and doing the hardest jobs.
Would they be welcomed on Monday morning?
Parents are always the child's first teacher. Whatever information can be instilled in a child in the first three years of life are the most important of all. Beginning when a child is in the womb, education starts and continues into the next two decades of a child's life. It is the parents' first responsibility to instill morals and values into that newborn child. It is also that parent's responsibility to prepare the child for kindergarten and support the child in school after that. Ideally this is how it should be done. Because of societal issues, the low value placed on all children, economic factors and recent changes in the child welfare laws, parents are caught between a rock and a hard place, when it comes to being able to parent their children effectively.
Mothers no longer have the luxury of staying home with their babies. Parents no longer have family and neighborhood supports. The village is raising the child and the village may or may not care about children. In the traditional "village" the members mirrored the parent in values, morals, ideology, philosophy, customs, traditions and culture. The "village" of today mirrors no parent. The village of today is made up of police officers, probation officers, caseworkers, guardian ad litems, social workers, judges, therapists and a mass of other entities making a living off of the hardships of parents who are living a day to day existence without the capital, energy or resources to sustain them and their children.
Mothers are forced into the workplace at the expense of their children. Mothers are forced into the labor market to do the hardest jobs for the least pay during the hours most conducive to family time. This situation limits the time that parents have to actively teach their children reading, math, geography, language arts, even if they could. It also limits the way in which a parent can be effective in their child
What is the "diversity" you keep referring to?
TPSTeacher24
Can I get an answer to my questions?
In Michigan. Parent volunteering is not mandatory..but strongly encouraged by schools. However, my wife and many of her collegues often find it difficult to do thier jobs when they constantly have to find things for these parents to do...while trying to teach the kids themselves. Some of these parents stay in the classroom ALL DAY and usually end up coddling thier own kid. Many of them need constant instruction on what tasks to do to help the teacher...which is very stressful for the teacher to basically have yet another person in their class to be responsible for.
Example...teacher says,"Go make me some copies." Five minutes later parent returns having made the wrong copies or none at all because they didnt know how to use the machine. Then, my wife...I mean the teacher has to stop teaching..AGAIN...to re-instruct the parent how to do something. TO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN!
Also, being a female...my wife and other teachers are uncomfortable having students male fathers in the class all day with their "wandering eyes."
Parents should get involved in their childs education...they should read to them and help them with their work...but they should do it at HOME on THEIR TIME....not at school on the TEACHERS TIME!
Don't call out your gang bangers. Handle your business.
I am just responding to your suggestion that parents who are on welfare, receive food stamps and section 8 housing should either volunteer in their child's school or face sanctioning, as in not receiving these subsidies.
And I don't know what you mean by diversity, "" I understand the diversity and accepting families into the school could open up a can of worms."" you said it, now can you tell me what you mean? I looked up "diversity" on the on-line dictionary and did not know in what context you were using the word.
Miss Page, I agree with you. Please keep up the work that you do.
""Thus not referring to all parents, but some parents of a lower social status.""
Parents in high social status do the same things that parents in "low economic" status do. Parents in "low economic status" have not cornered the market on low morals(not morale)and standards.
I am not picking on you but you just say some really stupid stuff.
You don't have to write back because there is nothing to win. Right is right and wrong is wrong. And what you have said about parents in "low economic status" is wrong.
that you are a Harvard and I am a Sherman?
See how stupid that sounds?
It is exactly this type of thinking that scares me about Lisa Sobecki winning a seat on the TPS Board of Education. You are both cut from the same cloth.
Purnhrt -- I want to thank you for seeing Sandy's remarks for exactly what they are; prejudiced and stupid. How can she have the nerve to say she is not judging? I have a lot of thoughts about this one, but you have covered it so well, I think I'll let it alone.
The only thing worse for a district or particular school building than having a lack of "extra" parental involvement is participation that is given begrudgingly, reluctantly and/or unwillingly.
Don't believe me ? Ask the teacher who has to deal with those particular parents. Or better yet ask the other (willing)parents who have to work with them.
It's sorta like not being able to legislate good behavior.
From Kooz: Also, being a female...my wife and other teachers are uncomfortable having students male fathers in the class all day with their "wandering eyes."
That is a ridiculous excuse, and so blatantly false and insignificant that I have trouble believing you wrote it.
From Purnhrt: Don't call out your gang bangers. Handle your business.
Purnhrt, get a grip. We're not back in the 'hood, at least not all of us. I'm not, for instance. I got off my lazy butt, got a job, got some education, moved up and moved out. Kind of like George and 'Wheezy. Somehow, I don't think Sandy is living in the 'hood either.
Sandy, I see what Purnhrt does. I've seen it in the past and I'll continue to see it in the future. Ignore it.
Bishop, you should be on the TPS BOE. I'd even contribute to your campaign fund. I don't know how you'd begin to implement any of those ideas, but at least you've got a few good goals in mind. Get SFlagg to run at the same time.
The main problem with the TPS BOE is that the very people who should be on the board will refuse to run. They'd likely refuse an appointment to the board as well, the main reason being that the necessary changes would be extremely difficult to implement. These are the people who have the requisite education, experience and intelligence to devise a strategy and put their new strategy into place in a short amount of time.
You are still wrong!
I am a little bit confused where sandy is wrong. From what I read and interpreted (perhaps in my own way) she stated that she sees things in her own neighborhood that she doesn't want her kids to fall into. She is aware of the cycle of poverty and cycle of violence that exists and she doesn't want her children falling into to. I don't see the cry for error. Hell, I don't even see where she is wrong.
Dont you think that if the kids in the inner-city schools (and I speak of Scott, Woodward and Libbey ... those I am most familiar with as a teacher) had MORE parents who gave a crap things would be better. I have long argued that any parents of my kids are welcome to argue and complain to me. At least it shows an interest and a "attitude."
The reasons these schools struggle mightily are because these are the schools where the most kids are in the cycle of violence and cycle of poverty. What is wrong with noticing that ... and not wanting to be qa part of it.
Read read!
surely you are not a teacher who thinks it is appropriate to take away food, shelter and welfare from a child if their parent does not volunteer in your school are you?
TPSTeacher24:
Am still waiting for your answer.
Sandy meant it, as she has stated the same thing over and over again on this thread and I personally think that is wrong thinking.
TPSteacher24:
Still waiting for an answer.
Don't get it twisted. I never said that I don't like you, I don't know you. I just know what you have written and what I have heard you speak about at TPS school board meetings.
I have never called you a racist because I don't know if you are or not. You are just inflaming this conversation by stating that.
But one thing I do know is that you do not have compassion or human feelings for people who are on welfare, use food stamps and live in section 8 housing.
I think somewhere in the Bible, Jesus stated that "the poor will be with you always." There simply are not enough jobs in America for everyone to have one that pays enough to sustain some families. In our humanness we provide for those that don't have. You don't take away food, shelter and clothing from children and parents who through no fault of their own cannot provide for themselves.
You have emphatically stated(more than once)that when parents do not volunteer in their child/children's school and they are on welfare, receive food stamps or live in section 8 housing that their subsidy should be cut off the next month.
To me it is incredible that anyone would think that way.
Looking at what you do and the people that you meet along the way, you have a great influence on people and it is your responsibility to treat every child and family, that you come into contact with, with dignity.
You are a hard nut to crack. Do you read anything that I have written or are you just picking and choosing what you read and then respond in an inflammatory way.
The people that I know who are receiving some type of assistance are NOT laying around collecting welfare as you so cynically put it.They are in school, working in a nursing home or some other minimum wage job and trying to maintain their families.
If you read Maggiethurbers posts you would know that in order to receive assistance you either have to work or go to school. Most are doing both.
Whether they are working or not you still cannot legislate that children do not eat because their parents have not volunteered in their schools. THAT IS JUST PLAIN STUPID!!!!!!!!
TPSteacher24:
Where are you, do I get an answer or not?
how do you know this is a ridiculous statement:
From Kooz: Also, being a female...my wife and other teachers are uncomfortable having students male fathers in the class all day with their "wandering eyes."
That is a ridiculous excuse, and so blatantly false and insignificant that I have trouble believing you wrote it.
Like my wife and her fellow female teachers...are you a female teacher with a male parent in your classroom all day? Woman are pretty good at knowing when a guy is checking them out.
without a 'correction' of any kind. I did find the print edition and it had the error printed, but the online had just been changed without notation.
Is there a policy for online corrections? I've never seen anyone change a story like that online before so I don't know.
I personally feel that our state and schools need to work more closely together. The families that do not work and receive welfare and food stamps should be required to service volunteer hours, at their child's school. They would only receive these allowances, if they completed the number of volunteer hours in their childs school for the prior month. Therefore, in order to receive next months food stamps, welfare or section 8 payment, you need fullfill the volunteer obligation. Hopefully, this will encourage their student to do his or her best at school. Further, these parents have the opportunity to be more involved during the day. This may eliminate a cycle of mentality that is so easiely accepted in our society. Lets make the systems work together.
There are unlimited volunteering tasks at our schools, just as catholic schools require. However, I do feel the district needs to make it more friendly and provide a policy district wide. Not all schools are as welcoming. I am grateful that mine are.
Ditto.
"When you increase parent involvement in your schools,
test score naturally increase and negative behaviors naturally decrease"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe I should run for school board. LOL I have been saying this for years. It would solve the behavior, BIC, suspensions, etc problems in our schools. In addition, our district would raise to a acedemic "excellence" school district. Hell, we may even be able to eliminate some jobs because we will have more parent volunteers to do monitoring. So their is a budget advancement. I am on it.....LOL
Lisa Sobecki, dont take my ideas! LOL
...individuals who get 'welfare' have requirements they have to meet in order to receive benefits since the welfare reform of the late '90s. Those who do get assistance have work/school/volunteer requirements. The only thing I don't know is if schools are one of the participating agencies for volunteers.
It would seem to make sense, but there could be some obstacles. Anyone who works with children has to go through a background check. Parents who come in to volunteer probably don't have to...but if a government program referred them, would they have to go through such a background check? If they did, it might be a reason for why they don't have such a program.
It is very important but we can't and shouldn't mandate it. We need to constantly nurture parental involvement and seek out models that work and duplicate them here (because there are examples that work out there).
in the classroom?"
That depends, Purnhrt, would that parent be you?
Just an idea.........no need for such harsh criticism.
...thoughtful, insightful...why aren't you running for school board????
LOL!!!
To elaborate more in the suspension policy in schools...there needs to be an alternative suspension program in place. I propose this format.
The Alternative to Suspension program addresses the needs of students who exhibit chronic disruptive behavior that interferes with classroom instruction. These students are not a danger to themselves or others. However, decisions they have made violate the district
Purnhrt:
In regard to the suspension program...the program should be ran by TPS. In addition whatever programs that exist now, they should have standards in place to mesaure their outcomes and success rate. And if they are not successful in their onjectives, than perhaps the programs should take a look back and consider ways to improve.
When it comes to education, the students should NOT be used as experiments. Utimately, everything that TPS does will have a direct impact on the students and their education.
This is why we must be very careful in making decisions within the school board and school district.
I am not critcizing. I live in the Libbey feeder..... I do not have that right to judge. However, I was simply saying, parents that receive wellfare, foodstamps and section 8 could pay this service off by spending some time in their childs school. I see many of these families drop their children off and pick them up, but they do not volunteer at all in the school. I understand the diversity and accepting families into the school could open up a can of worms.
It was just an idea..............
I am not uplifting any "type" of parent. Parents are parents, you can be poor and still have morale and value. I have never had a run in with police, never been arrested, had child services called, probation officers, or meet a judge in court. I am poor and live in the Libbey area, but I believe I have good morale and value and are a good mother and wife to my family. The "village" has not turned against parents, parents have lost their morale. Thus not referring to all parents, but some parents of a lower social status. Thus from drugs, gangs, maturity, etc.
You also know what "diversity" means and to which we refer. Today, our children face many more obstacles than years ago. Our family morale and value system is not traditional, as to say what my grandparents raised their children. If parents are keeping a warm home, food and providing love with setting expectations, then we are doing a good job. But as you know, many children dont have all the qualities of a good loving home.
I still do not understand how you always twist what I say and come back with these types of replies. DOES ANYONE ELSE SEE THIS??????
I must be crazy to write back........I never win.
OK, I guess we can realize our differences by looking at the area serving Harvard VS Sherman............Perfect example!!!
It was an example of parental involvement. I am not a Harvard mom. I am a Walbridge mom, a Libbey feeder school. I am not judgmental. I am poor. What the heck?????????????
You are confussing what I am saying and being defensive. I am done. It was all about parent involvement and turned into this. Sorry Twila, I cannot debate with you. You have tunnel vision and believe society is out against you.
I am beginning to realize I cannot debate rational with her. Tunnel vision vs optimistic.
I have had some life obstacles that have made us stuck to live in the hood'. We own our house and until Spring, when my husband graduates from college, we are waiting......... Then I am going far away from city life and hopefully to Fulton County. I do not judge people in this area(Broadway and South), but I choose not to have the same morales and values. I see drugs, drug houses & dealers, gangs, people "strung out", hungry children, children missing school because of their home life, no direction and no bountries. I simply want more for my children.
No.
On that basis I am not.
I was talking in example of knowing your surroundings and not falling for a trap.
I cant help but think perhaps sandy didn't mean it the way it sounded (or looked I suppose). Trust me I know that if we took away the food and welfare from families with uninvolved parents .... there would be a whole bunch of hungry mouths.
None of us get to pick who are our parents.
Thinkthink,
Twila does not like me because I am an involved parent, and advocate and supposively a TPS cheerleader. I have found I can work with administration when I give them respect and the respect is returned. I am PTO President at my schools, Box Tops Coordinator, run a "student of the month" program for 25 classes each month, I organized a "parent summit" at Walbridge last year for the entire Libbey feeder and had over 500 families in attendence and are in the works of planning #2. I travel to Columbus for a variety of issues in our schools, on my time as a volunteer.
I am the TPS Special Olympics Fundraising coordinator, which I work endlessly to raise money for over 500 athletes in a variety of sports that trains year round. The program does not receive funding from the district and we do not charge families for the cost of training or tournaments. The only funding the program receives is through grants, donations and fundraisers. The life line of special olympics is the volunteers, there are no paid positions!
I am a Representative on the Parent Congress for the Libbey Learning Community. I meet monthly to share ideas district wide and increase parent involvement.
I am a representative for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Toledo. I meet monthly with other community agencies, MRDD and TPS Administration to advocate and problem solve issues in special Education and TPS.
I am a dedicated mother and wife. I am a good person. I have a son who has Down Syndrome and expect him to be included as a functioning member of society, who am I to judge anyone? However, having dialog with Twila always gets twisted and turns tunnel vision. My statements and post here will turn into me being a rasist, TPS Cheerleader, "Stupid"( as she says I speak). It is crazy.... and frustrating.
I meant what? To starve children.........that is CRAZY. I am not heartless and I love every student at my school. I receive a million hugs a day and every student knows Ms.Sandy. They come to me with problems, a hug, to talk or if they need help. I do crafts with my K grade weekly and pay for everything myself. Is that a mom who would want a kid to starve? I have a cooked family dinner, every night! I tuck in bed all my 5-15 year old children each night. My heart beeds for what some of our students endure.
How dare you accuse me of that Twila................
I think that parentS laying around collecting welfare can put time into their schools.
Really? Well thanks for the humanity advise. I believe I do and this is why I receive the respect I do.
Families face challenges, as I have myself and I have a lot of empathy for all people. I simply believe that families that receive state assistance should spend more time on their students education, because they have the time to spend it. Unlike families that have two working parents, it is more difficult for them.
I do not take life for granted. I have learned through my oldest, whom has down syndrome, what is truly important in life and all we take for granted.
Kooz is that most or many men would engage in this type of behaviour to make it an issue and I don't think that's the case.
Even if it were, I'm sure there are already men working in your wife's building in some fashion...another teacher, a principal, a janitor...and if they were 'checking her out' she would have to deal with it in some regard, if she chose to.
how do you know this is a ridiculous statement:
Because I'm an adult not given to fantasy or prone to false statements. Your wife, along with the vast majority of the other school teachers, do not want outsiders observing them at work. I know it, you know it, and your wife knows it.
Maggie:
There have been people that have asked me this question before. At this time I have other obligations. However, I am considering my options in the next election.
...on suspensions for truancy, absenses, tardiness, etc..? I've often thought that suspending kids for not coming to school was rewarding them (in their eyes) with what they're already doing.
I'd love to find some type of program that would impose MORE time in school for absenteeism or truancy...to make up for what was missed both in time and in subject matter...
Keep in mind I live in the Newbury area........I am not judging, I see it!
...you two are debating the merits of a program (those on public assistance being required to do something - like work or volunteer) that already exists.
Those who get public assistance ARE required to work, volunteer or go to school. The only question that is unanswered at this time is whether or not the schools are a location in which those who volunteer can be assigned.
Individuals who do not meet their work/volunteer/educational requirements do not get continued aid.
Well, you certainly bring some common-sense ideas to the debate.
Maggie:
I agree with you. I too believe that suspending kids for not coming to school is rewarding them (in their eyes). I also know the games that some students play...such as - "I don't want to go to school today, and my parents are making me go. So, I'll go to school, and purposely do something that I know will get me suspended and sent back home."
I am a firm believer in education. I do believe that there should be measures of discipline in place within the school system. I also believe that when a student gets sent home on suspension, instead of being sent home...perhaps the student would have to report to a "suspension class" in which they are still required to do their school work.
There should be measures in place in which the very last resort would be sending the student home. And even in that situation...the student should be required to still do his school work.