The Southwest Voice

All > Columnists > Education
From the Chalkboard: Let’s just sue each other
Topics:
Anonymous user Tue Mar 6, 2007 09:30:04 PST
Viewed 335 times
0 responses 0 comments It has been a long time since I was a student — but not so long that I don’t remember most of my teachers in both elementary and high school. Reading, writing, English, penmanship, and spelling came easy for me. Math was where I encountered some difficulty.  Algebra did not come easy for me.  When I brought home a low grade in that subject, my dad, who was a whiz at math and all other subjects, for that matter, became personally involved in my education.  His assistance dealt primarily with the subject I most detested: math. 
I still remember those nights at the dining room table where he did his best to instill mathematical principles into my resisting brain.  While his tutoring did help some, I nevertheless continued to experience difficulty in math.  As much as I wished to blame my teachers’ lack of instructional skill, unfair grading practices, or some other excuse, it was clearly my problem. In order to graduate, I just had to study harder and pass my math classes.
Today, educational failures may be viewed quite differently. The academic climate is completely different than it was a generation ago. With increasing numbers, parents are slapping lawsuits on teachers for the failures of their children. In Arizona, English teacher Elizabeth Joice received a letter from a lawyer representing one of her students who had failed, asking her to take “whatever action necessary” to ensure that the student graduate, or face a lawsuit.  The school district caved and allowed the student to re-take a test and graduate.
In Ohio, Elizabeth Smith and her mother sued her school district and teachers over failing grades. The $6 million dollar suit has since been dismissed.
It seems logical that parents would be involved in their child’s education, but waiting until graduation time to become involved seems a little late. Truly concerned parents would better spend their time by checking homework regularly, visiting with teachers, acknowledging school standards and requirements, and encouraging their child to be responsible rather than blaming teachers.
With an emphasis on higher standards, high stakes testing, and increased accountability, teachers are stuck between a rock and a hard place. It appears to me that charges would more appropriately be leveled against parents, not educators. Student apathy, absenteeism, disciplinary problems, poor work habits, and bad attitudes that lead to failing grades are parent problems more than teacher problems.  Apart from situations where some parents have legitimate issues, there is no excuse for parents litigating for their kids to receive unearned grades or diplomas.
As the number of threats and lawsuits against teachers and schools continues to escalate, it is certain to have negative consequences for public education. School districts will be forced to expend limited funds on lawyers and insurance while classroom teachers revise their instructional methods by developing self-preserving strategies to deal with the possibility of a disgruntled parent. The only winners in such situations are the lawyers.
It seems we are living in an age where we are looking for someone else to blame, rather than being personally accountable for our behavior and actions. Parents do their children a great disservice by bailing them out whenever they face consequences for their actions. Understanding that life has consequences is preparation for life. Sadly, children who grow up without being held accountable will continue to see themselves as victims, blaming others for their failures throughout life. It is time that laws be enacted to protect educators from such frivolous lawsuits. The large majority of teachers are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances. They shouldn’t have to worry about threats from misguided parents.
In Canada, teachers are fighting back. The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation and nine teachers sued parents for defamation because the parents used newspapers and the Internet to air complaints. But neither apologies or removal of the offending material stopped the teachers from moving forward with their lawsuits. The president of the Teachers’ Federation stated that the suit was not launched lightly, but that it was necessary to defend members who were being damaged in their work and personal lives.
Lawsuits on either side do nothing to further the goals of education. To restore civility, structures need to be established to resolve educational disputes in a fair and balanced forum outside of the judicial system. It is important that educators and parents work together to ensure such a system is adopted, is clearly understood, communicated, and resolved within the educational hierarchy. In the final analysis it is certainly in the best interest of our students.

Send to a Friend

Report a Violation