I applaud all efforts to encourage parents to become more involved with the education of our children.  Yet, the challenge has become focused on how to achieve that goal.  In many instances, parents have felt alienated by the schools they have often dropped out from.

Efforts to encourage parents with food had been met by concerns about transportation.  Internet access has been restricted to students, let alone allowing community members unsupervised access when violence has permeated the hallways. 

What avenues have demonstrated success in encouraging parental involvement in our schools, especially where apathy is the norm?  Furthermore, are their resources to meet the continued needs of parents whom wish to be involved, but lack their own resources?

I agree with you that many of today's parents feel alienated from schools because they dropped out of school. If we do not intervene successfully with these parents and their children, the cycle will continue. You have raised some valid concerns about how to reach and engage parents. I hope that groups that are effectively engaging parents, such as PTA and others, will weigh in. Parents for Public Schools tries to engage and train parents to become involved in the decisions that impact their children in their schools.  PPS is focusing strong efforts on vulnerable families in Mississippi -- equipping parents with knowledge and leadership training, and then encouraging advocacy to make positive changes in public schools. In addition, there are PPS chapters of organized parents across the US who take an active role in schools. As for resources, every public school district has funds that are specifically designated for parental involvement. I encourage you to continue exploring how parents can be effectively engaged in schools.

Parent involvement is a popular catch phrase.  Politicians, pundits, administrators, and others do believe that parent involvement is a magic bullet.  I’d like to add my two cents worth by identifying an error in thinking.

Parent involvement is not a remedy!  It is a characteristic or attribute of a far greater concept.  It is an nth piece of a 1000 piece puzzle called “best parenting”.  Parental involvement in a child’s education is just one of countless best behaviors and practices common to parents who employ parenting skills that nurture and support their child’s best interests.

Myopic educrats would have us believe that parent involvement, like the self-esteem movement of a decade ago, is another magic bullet.  Baloney!  Quality parenting, and everything that entails, is the key!  Parents who engage in best parenting behaviors and practices automatically fulfill the emotional, physical, and intellectual needs of their children.  The question ought not to be... how do we get parents involved at their kids’ school, but how do we populate our communities with parents who embrace all of the parenting behaviors and practices generally recognized as being beneficial for children!

Here’s an answer to that question that deserves thoughtful consideration.  I'm an advocate of community-based parenting education for young people...that is young people, kids, being taught best parenting behaviors and practices in an effort to prepare them for the responsibilities of parenthood.  I believe parenting education for young people could be a tremendously powerful and proactive means for preventing child abuse, substance abuse, and other forms of violence.   

I feel strongly about teaching kids how to parent because preparation for adulthood is the reason we educate children, and parenting is by far the most important job they’ll have as adults.  Additionally, trying to identify, round up, and change the parenting behaviors and practices of every adult who needs intervention is next to impossible for practical reasons. 

I was thinking the education could take the form of both free and paid, permanent yet evolving, public service messages on radio, television, billboards, print, products, and the internet designed to teach young people how to engage in parenting behaviors and practices generally recognized as supporting the healthy physical, emotional, and intellectual development of children, and reject parenting behaviors and practices generally recognized as disrupting the healthy development of children.  I can envision appealing school age spokespersons delivering these messages.
 
Does this idea have merit?  If it does, how can I turn my dream into reality?  
 

A warm welcome to Parents for Public Schools to you Anne Foster.  We appreciate your willingness to chose to communicate with us using this media.  I look forward to reading your blog to help keep me focused on the "true business at hand" helping to improve the public schools in a structured, productive way.

Thank you for your gracious reply and for being interested in improving public schools in a productive way! Public schools represent the best hope for our next generation, and it's important to make people aware of how critical it is that we  make public schools the best they can be. Engaging parents is a huge part of the success that public education can enjoy. I look forward to sharing more about this as we go forward.