Prosecutor proposes jail for parents who skip kids’ school conferences

• Spartaaaaa wrote on 2010-10-27 10:17

  Christine MacDonald / The Detroit News
  
  Detroit — Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is pushing for a law that calls for jail time for parents who skip parent-teacher conferences, a plan some call inspired and others consider the nanny state run amok.
  
  Worthy pitched her plan Tuesday to the Detroit City Council and is shopping it to the Wayne County Commission and state Legislature. Drawing a link between parental involvement and youth crime, Worthy wants a sponsor to guide the idea to law.
  
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  Her plan would require parents to attend at least one conference per year or face three days in jail. Parents of those excelling in school would be exempt, as would those whose health issues make travel difficult and those "actively engaged" with teachers through e-mail, phone calls or letters.
  
  "We have to find any means necessary to get parents involved," Worthy told the council. "We have to start talking about prevention.
  
  "Some children don't have a chance the day they are born."
  
  Worthy staffers said the proposed law would be the first in the nation. She said she prefers a statewide law, but would start with a city or countywide one.
  
  No legislation is pending in the state House, county commission or council, but the proposal is generating plenty of talk — and controversy.
  
  Wayne County Commissioner Laura Cox, R-Livonia, said Worthy's intentions are admirable but the prospect of jailing parents is "inappropriate on a lot of levels." A colleague, Kevin McNamara, D-Canton Township, said he feared a law would become a "tattletale version of pin the tail on the bad parent."
  
  "The question is, 'How much government do I want in my life?'" McNamara said. "The reality is it would be an unenforceable mandate that we don't have time to do."
  
  Daniel Lessard, a Livonia Public Schools board member, called the plan "the dumbest idea I've ever heard in my life."
  
  "You can't legislate parental involvement," he said. "If the law forces parents to go, what will it do other than fill up a room with parents who don't want to be there?"
  
  Worthy received a better reception before the council in Detroit, where school officials have complained about poor participation at parent-teacher conferences. Council President Pro-Tem Gary Brown said, "If you aren't involved in your child's education, and he or she is failing, it's child abuse."
  
  Council President Charles Pugh said the proposed law would "send the right message."
  
  "We know at some point there has to be a line drawn and people held responsible," Pugh said. "As lawmakers, we need to stop shaking our heads and look for opportunities to be bold but helpful."
  
  Councilwoman Brenda Jones, though, worried how jailing parents would "rehabilitate them and get them engaged in their children's school."
  
  Worthy also pitched the idea last week before the Detroit Public Schools Board of Education, which is considering it, said Anthony Adams, board president.
  
  "We clearly need to do something about encouraging parents to be more involved in their child's education," Adams said.
  
  "I don't necessarily agree we need to be punishing. We have to find a middle ground."
  
  Worthy said she realizes the idea is controversial but said she wants to start the conversation. She said her office would work with service groups to ensure prosecuted parents have resources to get more involved.
  
  Teachers would work to accommodate parents' schedules and the school would send reminders, Worthy said. Parents convicted under the law would have sentences delayed to give them another chance to attend the meetings. If they do, the case would be dismissed.
  
  "You can shoot the messenger, but I don't care as long as the message gets out," Worthy said.
  
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  Link to article: http://detnews.com/article/20101020/METRO/10200350/1409/rss36
  
  LOL fail.
• Magenera wrote on 2010-10-27 13:44
  The ***** should take a sociology class, she going to screw over some of the middle class, and most of the working class and below. Not every parent has the time to go to a conference it they are to busy working on putting food in their kids mouth. Who ever called it out on it being a stupid idea, was correct. Jesus Christ I wake being piss off already. >.>
• hotharehunter wrote on 2010-10-27 13:50
  Well, my parents could never make it.
  Kinda like setting a path to being a juvenile delinquents. :smoke:
  Just like daddy and mommy !
  :ran_bunny:
• ShadowFox31 wrote on 2010-10-28 19:36
  Did you guys really read the article? Certainly her original idea is completely off the wall, but even she knows that . She's just trying to get some sort of talk about parents coming more often to meetings! How would you feel if your parents didn't care about your grades/school/ect? I know my parents cared enough to go to AT LEAST one parent teacher conference... even though they hated it, but they were willing to go so they can see how they can maybe help me with my school. I feel the article is just trying to get parents to care more about their child's school and grades. I dont know about you, but I wouldn't be here if My parents never cared about my grades. They yelled at me for getting C's and below.
  
  If My parent's didn't care about my grade, it would be devastating. I think it would crush me if I ever brought home an A, and my parent's didn't even praise me or say anything to me.
• Justified wrote on 2010-10-28 19:50
  I don't see anything wrong with it. You guys sure are exaggerating when you say your parents don't have one day off a year. Plus they never said that the conference takes all day (they're usually under an hour unless something is terribly wrong), or that both parents have to come (if the family isn't separated).
  
  Get past the "OMG GOVERNMENT GO AWAY" and you'll see that this is actually pretty constructive. For example, a person is more likely to vote or learn about current propositions if they are brought to a voting station, rather than being elsewhere. Except voting is their children, and the station is a conference.
• Spartaaaaa wrote on 2010-10-28 21:17

  Quote from ShadowFox31;197318:

  How would you feel if your parents didn't care about your grades/school/ect?

  
  
  LOL I would love it if my parents didn't care about my grades.
  
  

  Get past the "OMG GOVERNMENT GO AWAY"

  
  
  I'm not against government, I'm just against government overstepping its boundaries (set by the constitution). And I dare say proposing jail time for not attending a school meeting is a bit much.
• Hiccup wrote on 2010-10-28 21:31
  This is stupid. Parents shouldn't go to jail for skipping a conference at school. Newsletters are better then wasting an hour of your time to sit at a dumb conference.
• Intex wrote on 2010-10-28 22:03
  The parents with the top notch kids are the ones who never come to school conferences.
• Justified wrote on 2010-10-28 22:28

  Quote from Spartaaaaa;197453:

  I'm not against government, I'm just against government overstepping its boundaries (set by the constitution). And I dare say proposing jail time for not attending a school meeting is a bit much.

  
  
  Children are the responsibility of their parents. Parents are at fault for the crimes their children commit especially if they won't even take the time to attend a conference about their behavior, then it's likely they're not trying very hard to stop them.
  
  

  Quote from Bieber;197463:

  This is stupid. Parents shouldn't go to jail for skipping a conference at school. Newsletters are better then wasting an hour of your time to sit at a dumb conference.

  
  
  Are you saying that a newsletter is sufficient enough for parents of delinquent kids?
  
  "You child is at risk of becoming a gang member. They've been caught doing illegal things, hell they don't even show up at school half of the time. But we know you're too busy to come talk to us, so here's a newsletter."
  
  Again, the parents of students who are fine won't be required to attend these. This is a method aimed at helping those who are troubled.
• Intex wrote on 2010-10-28 22:35

  I'm just against government overstepping its boundaries (set by the constitution).

  
  Please clarify this.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2010-10-28 22:37
  There should definitely but some sort of incentive or requirement though.
  
  Parents need to care for their kids and guide them, and school conferences is one of those tools that help you out.
  
  But jail time is totally going in the wrong direction.
• Spartaaaaa wrote on 2010-10-28 22:39

  Quote from Justified;197502:

  Children are the responsibility of their parents. Parents are at fault for the crimes their children commit especially if they won't even take the time to attend a conference about their behavior, then it's likely they're not trying very hard to stop them.

  
  
  Of course the parents are responsible for their kids, but do you really think that a silly little school conference is going to faze a delinquent? If the kids are such a problem, then the solution is to bring in law enforcement, not putting the parent in jail and thus taking the kids away from the influence of the parents (duh). Or how about the school stop teaching the kids that they evolved from a bunch of slime 3 billion years ago and that they are nothing but a bunch of animals? I admit that the problem of delinquency exists, but shouldn't the imprisonment of parents be the last resort instead of the first?
• Intex wrote on 2010-10-28 22:41

  Or how about the school stop teaching the kids that they evolved from a bunch of slime 3 billion years ago and that they are nothing but a bunch of animals?

  
  Wow that came out of nowhere.
  
  

  I admit that the problem of delinquency exists, but shouldn't the imprisonment of parents be the last resort instead of the first?

  
  Jail is too far but parents should be held accountable for missing these if their children are not doing well.
• Justified wrote on 2010-10-28 22:47

  Quote from Spartaaaaa;197515:

  Of course the parents are responsible for their kids, but do you really think that a silly little school conference is going to faze a delinquent?

  
  
  The way I read it, it was a conference for the parents, not for the kids. It's basically like the school telling the parents what the kid is doing wrong so that the parents will actually do something about it.
  Plus if they find out that the parents are terrible then they have grounds to call child services.
• Cucurbita wrote on 2010-10-28 22:48

  Quote from Spartaaaaa;197515:

  Or how about the school stop teaching the kids that they evolved from a bunch of slime 3 billion years ago and that they are nothing but a bunch of animals?

  
  
  You poor poor thing.