Editorial | Educating youth takes a family | Melvin Tate

I could be a great critic of school systems, especially in the light of all the battles we have fought during the past 20 years to dismantle the structures in the system that foster disproportionality and a number of disparities affecting impoverished students of all colors. However, educators are not the only ones responsible for educating students in a given community.

The community and the families of students have a more important role; that is to be sure their students get the best education possible

Educators do care; but there’s too much to teach and not enough time

As a career educator with 13 years in the classroom, and 13 years as an administrator both in the buildings and in the central office, I never met a single teacher or other persons in schools, including custodians and secretaries, who didn’t want every child to learn as much as possible.

Even educators who were ineffective, several of whom I processed/counseled out of education, wanted the best for students.

There have been times in the Kent School District when the entire district was geared up and led the way to address a variety of diversity, equity, and justice issues.

And, we made significant changes, several of which are now institutionalized in the district.

Yet we still have some of the major issues that first caught our attention decades ago; things that we said must change.

Included among those issues is what people now call the “achievement gap” and now also called the “opportunity gap.” Disproportionality in discipline and in other areas continues to exist as well.

When public education first came into existence what students had to learn in school was basic reading writing and arithmetic, and there were far fewer distractions.

However, the universe of what students now need to learn and the phenomenal number of distractions, have become so numerous and so competitive that educators can’t do it alone any more. Under the current systems educators can’t prepare students for the 21st century without a great deal of support from families and community.

Reformers point the finger at educators to find a new way. And, we talk about the success of charter schools.

Even some charter school successes can be attributed to siphoning from poor white communities and communities of color some of the most highly motivated families and the most highly motivated students.

A number of charter schools also require a certain level of family involvement as well.

Parents sign documents indicating a level of commitment.

Failure of the parent to support the student’s academic work at home, or if a student has discipline problems in some charter schools, that student can land back in the regular public school.

A basic responsibility of the families in any school is to be sure the student shows up for school, and to be sure the student comes to school with a mindset that is prepared to learn.

Families and communities must help

For many years the research has existed indicating what families do at home is the strongest indicator of how well a student will perform in school.

As an example, if a student is assigned two hours of homework each night to learn things and practice things that the teacher doesn’t have time for in class, the family has a responsibility to make sure the student completes that work.

Family members can’t be expected to know everything in the book, but they should be able to provide a space and time for students to do the work, and make sure the student does the work.  However, if the parent can’t be expected to know the subject matter then who will be available evenings to answer the questions the student has about the homework?

On average students are in classrooms only about 6 hours a day. The other 18 hours are spent outside of school; that is, in activities, in the family, and in the community. Let’s give the average student eight hours of sleep.

There are 10 hours left in that 24 hour period. The research shows that black and brown students spend up to 4 hours a day watching TV. Now you have 6 hours left in the day.

Where are the children during that 6 hours?  And, what are they doing on school nights?

Better still, what are the parents doing?

Research also show that some white and Asian students use more of their time outside of school for studying, and much less of their time watching TV than black and brown students in general.

Obviously the studious discipline of some white and Asian students is contributing to the causes of the achievement gap. What kinds of inferences could one draw from these facts? And, why isn’t more reform efforts focused on these facts? Is it much easier to attack the system than to help families support students and inspire students? Should families, students, and communities also be held accountable for student learning during that 18 hours students are not in school?

It is certainly fair to hold educators accountable, but until individual students, families, and communities assume their responsibility for education it is likely the achievement gap will generally continue to exist between those who do assume the responsibility and those who don’t

Any family who doesn’t know what to do at home can be perceived as a victim of the system, but there is help.

Are any of the advocates and reformers in the neighborhood who attack the education system actually coming around to show the victims what they can do at home to help improve student performance in school?

One reason this discussion is important is because for each student who performs poorly on third grade reading tests, some states set aside money for a jail cell with that student’s number on it about 12 years later.

A jail cell is also prepared for those who don’t graduate. The problem also affects society in general because it costs more to house people in jail than it does to educate them. Black and brown students are already overrepresented in the prison populations.

If there is no one in the community to help, then call the teacher or the principal and ask for help learning what to do at home to help your student perform better in school. Don’t be shy; a child’s future doesn’t depend on a parent knowing everything.

The education system is there to teach much of what parents don’t know. However, a child’s future may depend on a parent asking for help when they don’t know what to do. Attendance is one of the problems in many schools.

Parents can begin by making sure the student is at school every school day, and make sure the student arrives at school with an attitude that is prepared to learn.

Melvin Tate is a retired Kent School District teacher and assistant principal.