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  1. Parents Excluded – Gender Issues

    September 23, 2023 by Tunya

    Parents Excluded – Gender Issues

    Sept 20, 2023 Marches in Canada

    Tasha Kheiriddin: School ‘inclusion’ excludes parents. No wonder they marched
    (Title in hard copy of paper: ‘Inclusion’ excludes parents
    Wednesday’s protest is a symptom of deep dissatisfaction with schools
    Tasha Kheiriddin Sep 21, 2023 https://nationalpost.com/opinion/tasha-kheiriddin

    Tunya
    The One Million Marches 4 Children, Sept 20, ’23, are indeed a “symptom of deep dissatisfaction with schools”. As a long-time advocate for parent rights, I have noted with alarm how pervasive has been the growing trend to exclude parents from their biological duties.
    I think the Marches tell us we should really buckle down and ask WHY they ensued. And, why and how the counter-protests were so speedily and defensively organized.
    There obviously is a lot at stake for both sides in this momentous event.
    As an advocate for parents, I see this as an opportunity to examine why it is that parents are so much feared and deterred. Why have the criticisms about such things as illiteracy, poor math, absent civics lessons — and now the urgent matter of gender ideology — been dismissed?
    It was the philosopher Roger Scruton (died 2020) who commented on the current education methods this way: “ . . . one thing is certain: that each generation would know less than the one before . . .The teacher who loves his subject and cares about his students is concerned that the rising generation not know less than the one that preceded it.”
    This National Post article concludes: “For all their talk of inclusion, school boards merrily exclude one group who cares deeply about that [education]: parents. It’s no surprise that parents are mad. “

    • Reply by Susan Hirshorn. Reply to Tunya Audain

    The baby-boomer generation onwards has bought into the notion that governments and institutions (including schools and media) should rule our lives. This has eroded the authority of parents and with that loss of authority, their sense of responsibility for what and who their children should be exposed to. This trend, however, is shifting. The Parents March here, similar protests and parental rights legislation in some parts of the US are evidence of this. Personally I welcome the change.

    Reply by Tunya Audain. Reply to Susan Hirshorn

    Yes, the Marches are significant for several reasons. First — parents across Canada have voiced their concern about this issue of children being exposed to questions, materials and events that are age-inappropriate. Secondly — the Marches also raise the wider question of why parents accept the notion that government and institutions should rule our lives. Is this something that families have voluntarily bought into or is there a long-term process by which parents have gradually become excluded? If the latter, why and who are behind these moves to diminish parent involvement? Thirdly — equally important, is the matter of school choice. Should the state both fund AND provide public education that is uniform and prone to penetration from outside practices and ideologies that are not welcomed by the font-line consumers, the parents?
    Yes, these questions are more frequently dealt with in the United States where political policies and laws are being more frequently used — both for curricular matters and widening of school choices. This National Post article asks the question: What is the purpose of public education? These Marches should be a wake-up call for politicians, public and parents to address this question more directly.

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments

  2. unforgiveable – causing parents to betray their children

    September 12, 2016 by Tunya

    “Smoking Gun” Tells A Lot More Than “He says, she says” !

    [This is the case of a school in Vancouver, an “inquiry school”, which on Day 1 had Grade 7 students given a number ID, assigned to a “faction”, and arbitrarily punished or rewarded by teachers.  There was no consent nor information to parents.  They were asked to keep this “confidential” via email.  2 stories appeared in the Globe  & Mail with many comments.  Google — Vancouver school role-playing.}]

    Yes, parents can now be found to support of this Salish Sea project. A whole host of people can come forward with opinions, interpretations, apologies, etc.

    BUT, the fact remains — we have one glaring piece of hard evidence, Exhibit #1, that lays bare a whole litany of educational transgressions — the letter to parents, Sept 6, 2016 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/static/interactive/graphics/0908-nw-na-experiment/District%205488%20Overview%20for%20Parents.pdf

    Here are just a few of the violations to highlight:

    √ surprise — Not only were the students unaware of the project, but so were the parents. Informed parental consent is not mentioned so obviously this was not done. Parents are to be involved by “playing along”, “help them debrief” but always to keep this “confidential” from their children. (Parents will actually be betraying their children’s natural trust that they would keep them out of harm’s way!)

    √ playing with the minds of children (ages 12/13) — These are some of the emotions that the children might display — “overwhelming”, “off putting”, “discomfort”, “we expect and want students to experience a range of emotions”.

    √ depersonalization — Students are given a number ID, called “followers” and are assigned to a “faction” where “The Establishment . . . arbitrarily demotes/promotes”.

    All this is in the letter that closes with this pacifying and cajoling point: “Always focused on the core competencies and BC Ed Curriculum, students will engage in a variety of activities that will help them build the capacity and skills needed for deep inquiry. "

    Is this role-playing being done in the name of the Ministry of Education?

    What is my background to be so disturbed by all this? In the 70s my young children were in a VSB experimental school program from which we soon withdrew after a research report showed students behind in reading and math. I was a member of a parent group (non-PTA) active in improving parent involvement (a new superintendent from Que was hired) and our group received a grant from the Federal Secretary of State to found a service to help parents be involved. One of the first things we did was to codify parent rights in education from sources from around the world (NZ, AU, USA, UK, etc.).
    Amongst the rights was this one about Safeguards:

    “To expect strict supervision over new programs, innovations and experiments, and that parents have special rights in these instances:
    • to receive a written description of the program, rationale, goals and supporting references
    • to grant or refuse permission for their child’s attendance
    • to receive satisfaction that the program is run by qualified, well-prepared personnel
    • to be involved in the ongoing evaluation.”

    In view of technological and cultural changes I think it’s high time that Family Rights in Education be updated and brought forward to address 21st C Learning concerns.

    [ Globe & Mail re Norma Rose Point School, Vancouver — Role-playing experiment at Vancouver school aims to nurture critical thinking  https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/role-playing-experiment-at-vancouver-school-aims-to-nurture-critical-thinking/article31785408/   Sept 09 '16

    Vancouver school suspends ‘process drama’ role-playing exercise     https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/vancouver-school-suspends-process-drama-role-playing-exercise/article31822423/   Sept 11 '16 ]

     

    Category Education Reform, Malpractice, Parent Tribal Memory, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments

  3. Parent Veto — Alberta

    March 22, 2016 by Tunya

    Parental Veto & Parental Sovereignty Are At Stake

    Alberta is again faced with a squeeze-play on parental rights and duties.

    The Parent Veto is an awesome thing and is constantly under attack by usurpers of parental primacy in education. In 2011 when a surge of votes propelled Alison Redford to instant Premiership of Alberta it was claimed that three promises to the teacher establishment were the key to her electoral success. It was easy for her to quickly find $107Million in extra education funding and to scrap Gr 3 & 6 standardized tests. The third demand — abolish the parent veto — was never accomplished due to parent backlash.

    These expanded conditions in the new LGBTQ initiatives seem to undermine parental authority and sovereignty over their minor-aged children. There should be more thought and attention paid to the legal implications, especially since the line of responsibility for a child’s education rests first with the parents and then with the state as a backup service to parents.

    http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/calgary/calgary-meeting-lgbtq-cbe-1.3502884#commentwrapper

    Category Absurdities, Opinions in media, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments

  4. URGENT: Parents & Education Reform

    March 23, 2015 by Tunya

    Australia Needs To Enlist Parents In Urgent Education Reform

    It is so clear to me — even though I am in Canada and thousands of miles away from Australia — what needs to happen.

    Within the space of one year Australia has had THREE reports that sharply indicate what has to happen.

    The three reports:

    – Review of the Australian Curriculum — reporting after 6 month consultation across the nation
    – Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers — report on current teacher training
    – What Makes Great Teaching? Review of Underpinning Research — research report on evidence

    I believe the spur for this level of activity was the growing concern with the previous national curriculum, which was loaded with New Age and 21st Century Transformation narratives. As Nick Cator wrote, Jan 14, 2014, in The Australian: “Do we want educators or evangelists? Do we send children to school to ‘create texts that inform and persuade others to take action for sustainable futures’?”

    The recommendations are enumerated in all reports and remain to be acted on. Will it have to come down to a heavy-handed approach for indicated changes to happen — legislation, removing accreditation from training outfits and lifting the licenses of teachers? Or will there finally be some common-sense that will magically appear?

    Given that the industry of public education itself has been too often resistant and even dismissive of all this avalanche of evidence and public expectation it’s time to really bring in the troops — the consumers.

    I saw a recommendation in the curriculum review that really made sense — getting parents genuinely involved. I don’t know the particulars intended, but these are some of the means by which parent muscle can be brought to bear: parental choice of schools between progressive, traditional or other philosophies; handbook on parent rights; handbook on student rights; curriculum outlines in clear language; workshops for parents on pursuing individual student educational needs; standardized accountability measures to keep schools on task; rebates for out-of-school tutoring expenses; tax credits for private schools, school-based management; etc., etc.

    In the days of the one-room school house if the teacher did not teach the expected basics the parent board fired the teacher and recruited another. That’s the kind of clout that parents too long colonized by their “masters” need to regain if children are to be educated in their lifetimes for a challenging world.

    I just wish that we in Canada (North America generally) had such clear signals as shown in the three reports by which we could go about cleaning up our education swamp.

    [The Australian story referred to is here — http://www.educationviews.org/traditional-forms-teaching-comeback/ ]

     

    Category GOOD NEWS, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments

  5. Parents: 3rd Force in Education

    November 8, 2014 by Tunya

    [Society for Quality Education has been posting excerpts from the book, The Teaching Gap, (Stigler, Hiebert) and below is my comment.]

    Parents:  The THIRD FORCE In Education

    Every time some new eye-opener appears that claims some magic bullet to improve teaching, parents will sigh and exclaim:  “Why don’t they just teach?”  They may even say: “ Why, even Johnny asks why he should go to school because the teachers don’t teach!”

    So much is already proven (evidence-based it’s called) about effective learning and teaching it becomes a huge puzzle why there is so much toying in the education industry.  If styles do differ between cultures but the outcome is there — an “educated” student — why does it matter?  The bottom line is that knowledge can be transferred and skills can be developed and positive social behaviors can be acquired — if the expectation is clear and enforced.  By whom?  By the client, the parents who are the primary pivot in this enterprise. 

    For too long, parents have been seen as the “enemy” of the system.  Please, don’t say this is exaggeration! Just Google “parents enemy schools” and you’ll get 1,000s of entries.

    An active third party is actively resisted by the two main forces in education today — the ruling government and the powerful teacher unions.  Even while there may be appearances of disagreement between the two, let’s not for one moment think their behavior is not mutually beneficial.  Each party benefits from labor peace.  It’s the client — the parents and their children — who are left out of meaningful participation.

    The book, Parents and Schools: The 150-Year Struggle for Control in American Education (Cutler) outlines the struggle parents have had, and always ending in their involvement in terms conducive to the system, not the other way around.  Our democratic beliefs say otherwise, but the system contrives to make convenience for itself as the priority. 

    Parents should and must take a stand so that their children benefit from systems paid for by the public purse in the lifetime of their children — not some utopian distant future when all issues tossed at them (poverty, class size, class differences, racism, etc.) are solved.  It’s the here and now that counts for this developing child.  Don’t listen to system proclamations.

    Read:  Liberals, don’t homeschool your kids (wait several generations for the system to get better )http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/02/homeschooling_and_unschooling_among_liberals_and_progressives_.html

    Some say there are no Parent Rights in Education.  There always have been rights, and we codified them in the 70s — what’s known, what’s good practice.  http://www.parentsteachingparents.net/2014/07/parent-rights-their-childrens-education/

    Go to my site http://www.parentsteachingparents.net/ and Search — parent rights.  Lots of articles.

    Australia has just finished a Review of their education system.  Big priority is improving relations with parents and services for parents.  The suggestion is to provide easy guides to what the curriculum is expected to do at each stage. 

    New Zealand has had 20 years of self-governing schools, with majority of parents on each school board.  This experience in self governance is a transferable skill to the rest of society.  NZ is tops of the chart on the CPI, Corruption Perception Index — that is, LEAST corrupt.

    See the Michigan story I posted in SQE on Ontario small communities.  Here is it that parents, who have homeschooled for 20 years, are now able to have co-operative mutual arrangements with public schools.

    It’s in the air.  Parents want IN in their lifetimes and their children’s lifetimes.

    Category Book Reviews, Obstacles, Parent Tribal Memory | Tags: | No Comments

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