"Dear Parents

Union County Middle School is pleased to announce a new tradition! Beginning this year, UCMS teachers will begin making home visits. The purpose of these short 10-minute visits is to meet each parent to share information about the 2005-2006 school year. We are seeking to establish a partnership between the school and home. When parents and teachers have a strong partnership, the benefits for our childern will be greatly enhanced.

We want to meet every family; however, if you will not be available for a home visit, please indicate this at the bottom of the letter. If you are interested in participating in the home visits, please indicate whether a weekday or Saturday is more convenient. Weekday visits for 6th grade will be on August 25th, 7th grade will visit on August 26th, and 8th grade will visit on August 29th. The Saturday visits are planned for August 27th. The visits will begin at 9 AM.

We look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,
Union County Middle School Faculty and Staff."

My libertarian hackles were raised slightly at the first reading of the letter. It sounds vaguely nefarious, as if the school system is peeking into the home environment of their students. But a quick review of school teacher home visits shows many teachers find it helps build the parent/teacher bond early on and helps cement crucial support the teacher needs to keep the student on track with their proscribed educational goals.

I was willing to sign and say say "Yes, come on out for a home visit". Until. Until one of my children related a comment their teacher had made. One which makes not only hackles get raised, but all systems on "red alert" (to add a Star Trek element here ). The teacher stated something to the effect of "if they put 'no', that must mean they have something to hide."

What? Because a family respects its privacy, they must have something to hide? All of a sudden, it doesn't seem like a relationship-building exercise and instead is a quasi-government-sanctioned instrusion into the privacy of an American home. What are the qualifications of these teachers to provide that type of value judgement? If the family they visit are Buddhists and the teachers are Southern Baptists, do they let their religious convictions taint their observations? Did they attend special training to help them make proper value judgements? How is objectivity maintained in a community where people knew each other as children, knew their parents, and may have married (or worse - divorced) a cousin (of one of the parents) or two?

I no longer believe that Union County Middle School is doing this exercise as a way of building a relationship with the parents of the child they're charged with educating. I now believe that this is a way for the Union County School System to snoop into the affairs of private citizens. To the Union County School System, I say shame on you! It's a communist attitude you're feeding, not freedom, and not American.

To the rest of you, I ask you also to say no if you get this memo. Attend parent/teacher conferences held at the school. Foster the parent/teacher relationship. I know my wife and I are both committed to that. But cast a vote against surreptitious snooping into private lives of citizens. Cast a vote against non-objective monitors making judgements against the way you run and live your household.

P.S. For the record, my family has nothing to hide. What it does have though is a strong sense of the rule of law, the pride in being part of a great republic, and the benefit of freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights incorporated into the Constitution.

Shadow

FWIW, JOMO. YMMV!

Shadow I agree. What purpose really would making a home visit serve? Sounds like a lil nosiness to me.

GrayEagle
"I am an American! I am not a White-American, African-American, Cuban-American, or any other hyphenated-American!"

Teachers are individuals, and in their teaching many will inadvertently convey their beliefs, attitudes and assumptions to their charges on a daily basis....even though that is a no-no in the school system. That is why it is so important for a parent to monitor a child's education and maintain open communication about that child's school experience. Shadow, by having that communication with your child, you have discovered a chink in your child's educational environment. You have the option of monitoring it. Parents have the right to audit their child's class....sit in on it...and watch what's going on. Very few parents do this. I do not know the rules and regulations in Union County regarding these audits but we did have to do this when my children were in school. It's very effective in determining what and how, exactly the children are being taught.

The majority of teachers, in my book, deserve kudos. Their job is difficult in not only dealing with the numerous children in their classes, but with the political system that supposedly governs their every move. But, again, each teacher is an individual and some are more deserving of those kudos than others.

Just my opinion.

I agree with Shadow and Nelly both!

I just don't think it's a necessary process for a good parent/teacher bond.

I dont care if they come to my house, heck Ill pull out a chair cause I have some thangs Id like to ask them that always gets rushed durin school conferences cause theres another mom waitin outside the door to conference.

I just think the teachers deserve the right to go home and be with their familys instead of doing what apparently the principles or counselors could do. Leave work at work? Not nowadays apparently.

Thats why I dont like to talk much about our work on here or to much. We deal with it all day and all evenin and I dont mind questions or whatever, I know yuns would get soo sick of hearing about our work work work all of the time. Im sure the teachers like the idea of leaving work as much as any one else. April is a teacher and shes gradin papers when her lil un goes to bed and she said that she gets lil done housework wise durin the week.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith.

Saint Francis of Assisi

quote:

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My question is, WHY DO THEY EXPECT THE TEACHERS TO BE WITH THESE KIDS ALL DAY AND THEN SPEND ALL EVENING TROMPSING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THEY MAY HAVE A LIFE AND FAMILY TOO?

I dont care if they come to my house, heck Ill pull out a chair cause I have some thangs Id like to ask them that always gets rushed durin school conferences cause theres another mom waitin outside the door to conference.

I just think the teachers deserve the right to go home and be with their familys instead of doing what apparently the principles or counselors could do. Leave work at work? Not nowadays apparently.

Thats why I dont like to talk much about our work on here or to much. We deal with it all day and all evenin and I dont mind questions or whatever, I know yuns would get soo sick of hearing about our work work work all of the time. Im sure the teachers like the idea of leaving work as much as any one else. April is a teacher and shes gradin papers when her lil un goes to bed and she said that she gets lil done housework wise durin the week.

---

GrayEagle
"I am an American! I am not a White-American, African-American, Cuban-American, or any other hyphenated-American!"

My first day in public school here, my teacher said "YUNS GET OUT CHUNS SPELLIN BOOKS." NO LIE! ARAGORN WAS IN THAT SAME CLASS. I was sittin there tryin to figure out what the heck she was a talkin about! Now look at me!LOL Sure did love her tho! She was a wonderful person!

Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith.

Nelly really seems to have the handle on this.

I totally agree with you on this.

It's been documented that teachers do tend to treat higher-income children better. They may not be conscious of it, but they do.

If they visit a child who seems to have less, they may unconsciously begin to expect less achievement.

This practice also unneccesarily puts added pressure on the child and the parents. Big Brother is watching you.

Shadow

Blairsville, Georgia - home in the North GA Mountains

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