Dig Deeper Texas

HB 557	Author:	Smith, Wayne
	Last Action:	01/11/2007 H Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the failure of a parent to attend a public school parent-teacher conference; providing a criminal penalty.

Wow, this is taking things a step or two too far. Criminal penalties if a parent doesn’t attend a parent-teacher conference? How crazy is that? Here is the bill itself, have a look and then we will chat afterwards.

80(R) HB 557 - Introduced version -

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the failure of a parent to attend a public school parent-teacher conference; providing a criminal penalty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 26.014 to read as follows:
26.014. FAILURE TO ATTEND PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE.
(a) A parent of a student commits an offense if: (1) the parent receives written notice by certified mail of at least three proposed dates from which the parent can choose for scheduling a parent-teacher conference between the parent and the student’s teacher; the parent: (A) fails to respond to the notice; or (B) schedules a parent-teacher conference on one of the dates proposed in the notice or on an alternative date agreed to by the parent and teacher and fails to: (i) attend the scheduled conference; or (ii) before the scheduled conference, notify the teacher or an administrator of the campus to which the teacher is assigned that the parent will be unable to attend the conference; and
(3) in the case of a student with more than one parent, another parent of the student does not attend a parent-teacher conference scheduled in accordance with this subsection.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
(c) An offense under this section may be prosecuted in a court in which an offense under Section 25.094(b) may be prosecuted. (d) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the parent had a reasonable excuse for failing to attend the parent-teacher conference.
(e) The clerk of the court in which an offense under this section is prosecuted shall transfer the proceeds of any fine collected by the court under this section to the school district that employs the teacher with whom the parent was scheduled to meet in the parent-teacher conference. The district may use funds collected under this section only to: (1) provide additional compensation to classroom teachers in the district; or
(2) purchase school supplies other than textbooks as defined by Section 31.002. SECTIONï This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

I am just flabbergasted that anyone thought this was a good idea. I know schools need more money but is this the way to get it? I think that Texas ed said it really well.

Texas Ed: Comments on Education from Texas:

I don’t believe that I’ve ever been one to hold teachers’ solely
accountable for student achievement since parent involvement is
obviously a significant factor in the equation. And while I’m sure that
there are many teachers who think that parents need to be held
accountable for their actions (and many parents who deserve it), I’m
not sure this is the way to do it.

Besides the various legalities involved and the burden it might
place on a parent to present an affirmative defense, I don’t think this
will really accomplish anything except maybe collect some additional
funds for the classroom.

Think about it this way. A teacher schedules a parent-teacher
conference. The parents don’t show up because a: their cultural or
economic situation affects their ability to respond to the summons
appropriately or b: they think it’s a waste of time. Now if the case is
a, you have just added another burden on the parents to defend
themselves. They can’t get time off of work (I’m sure there’s a bill to
address that as well) but they will have to take time off to appear
before a judge to explain why they can’t attend the conference.

Then there is case b. You now have a law that forces the parents to
show up if for no other reason so that they avoid a fine. What do you
think will be accomplish during that conference period? They will see
the light and make sure junior does his homework every night? They will
start enforcing a reasonable bed time for their kids or turn off the
tv? Talk about a hostile audience.

I can just see this progressing until we have some version of NCLB for
parents. As in the case of students, they will first be forced to spend
a certain amount of time receiving “œinstruction.” Then someone will
realize that it would be a good idea if they were to actually learn
something from the instruction and will implement some sort of “no pass
no play” rule for parents.

This may seem like such a simple solution to the problem of the lack
of parental involvement. However, if we have learned anything in
education reform, there are no simple solutions.

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