Do you believe it's important to have some level of control and influence at your child's school? How do you seize this control?

This is an interesting question. As a parent, I would say that it would be important to be able to have an influence at my child's school. As a teacher though, parental involvement is great but give them an inch and they take a mile.

The problem is, I think, that many parents can't see past their own kids. By this of course, they will do what is in the best interests of their own children, which may be at the detriment to others. For instance, many parents love the fact that their kids are in honors or AP classes so that they aren't with those "other" kids.

However, there is over 20 years worth of research that states that students placed in tracked classes do worse and that students in heterogenious classes do better. Kids who need more help would benefit from being in classes with kids who do better and kids that do better can continue to do well and help the other students. This is only one example but there would be others - such as the parents that don't see their kids as the bullies that they are, or wanting to fund certain activities over others - say sports over academics, etc etc.Parents often may not know learning theory, how to write curriculum, new trends in education, the best teaching methods, etc etc, which the school and teachers should know.

I have heard on more than one occasion, well if it was good enough for me when I was in school, it's good enough for my little johnny (or janie). As a mom though, if there were a problem at my daughter's school, I would want to be able to have some influence.To do that, I suppose I would have to band together with other parents and hope that they want the same things too. But then we get to the first problem of parents always wanting what is best for their kids first over any other kids.

Altruistically, sure parental control would benefit all kids.In reality, I doubt it would. A good school is one with a responsive administration but not one that allows parents to walk all over them and call the shots.

I am with fabliaux. As a teacher I've seen that most interference from parents come from overprotective parents who usually always blame the teachers for their children''s misbehavior. Parents want teachers to make exception for their children all the time and in their eyes, their children can do no wrong.

If they have bad grade, then it means the teachers are incompetent. Some of the best schools in my country are the strictest, usually Catholic school. They have firm rules and regulations, if the parents don't like the school, they can bring their children home anytime.

However, the teachers also must show good discipline and the schools are under supervision of the church. I believe parents should be concerned about their child's education and have some input, but school should also be firm and enact the rules and regulations that goes along with the philosophy for the good of all students. I believe there should be a board consist of parents and people with academic and pedagogic experience and knowledge that help oversee the school.

But I firmly oppose that schools should bend to the parents wishes.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.