In the recent “Home & School Connection” newsletter from the Green Bay Area Public Schools dated April 2008 there was an interesting question raised in the Q& A box.

 Quote:  “My son Jimmy gets good grades on tests and quizzes, but his report card had some low marks because of missed or incomplete assignments.  What should I do?

 An interesting question, and “untimely” to say the least.  The question itself raises specific circumstances which may or may not exist.  It presupposes that the child in fact did miss assignments or that they were incomplete.

Since it is April and there are only a few weeks of the school year left to possibly allow any valid correction, if in fact, the "supposed" condition actually exists.  That makes this question, questionably “untimely”. So why, address this “supposed” situation at this late date in their current newsletter?

There have been two parent/teacher conferences this year for Green Bay Area Public Schools.  If one were to “suppose” that the parent had attended, one would wonder why, if the presuppositions had existed, that the child’s parent would not have been made aware.

 This question has a more offending connotation though.  This question implies that the child isn’t up to par and that the “confused” parent needs direction, hardly a marketing angle which would attract parents to the “Home & School Connection” newsletter. What type of message are parents receiving from this tactic?  Is it possible that the patronization of parent and child was purposeful?  William Kristol would be proud.

 With its presupposition, this question also doesn’t allow any “wiggle room” for a plethora of other possible causes.  Such as, why would a teacher allow a bright child to “slip” to the extent that it hurt the child’s grade without notifying the child or the child’s parent?  Does this school or district endorse accepted practical grading techniques?  Was bias a factor?  Is there validity to the attitude that a child that “gets good grades on tests and quizzes” but receives “low marks” is a common acceptable occurrence?  If “Jimmy’s” homework were to be assessed by another teacher in an area outside of the Green Bay Area Public Schools, would the “marks” have been different?  Has “Jimmy’s” teacher been instructed to “downgrade” to keep federal dollars flowing?  Are parents “supposed” to be acutely aware of every single assignment or possible teaching practice their children might encounter throughout the week, requiring a sixth sense, so to speak?  Is there validity to the supposition that possibly it’s not the child or the parent when things of this nature occur; or is the foregone conclusion simply that the child and the parent don’t “get it”? 

Apparently the presupposition of Green Bay Area Public Schools according to the “Home & School Connection” newsletter is that parents are confused and need guidance to help their sub-par children.  The remedy...."See the teacher".

Guidance…?  Parents can’t be “expected” to proceed without that.  The trite condensation of G.B. Area Public schools regarding parents is unmistakable. One wonders what preparation a parent might need before embarking on their journey of enlightenment via “the teacher”.

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