(Community Matters) in response to a friend’s facebook post about holding AISD accountable for Hispanic student performance
I’ve been thinking more about the issue of under performance in public schools, especially in the Hispanic community. Turning this around requires a more aggressive compact between school officials, parents and students.
Parents have *got* to be part of the solution. Involvement by good folks like you and so many other interested, dedicated parents is a big step, and parents of the other kids enrolled must be better engaged too. Who’s doing the best at making this happen?
Community Matters 
Eugene – I totally agree with you (I think) on this. While I think we need to continue to hold our schools accountable for educating all of our young people, I believe more and more strongly that we will really make little to no progress until we also find a way to hold our communities/neighborhoods (starting with each child’s parent(s)) responsible for the state of our young people when they show up to the schools’ front doors. If our kids’ basic needs are not being met in the home and their community, then we can not expect schools to work miracles and overcome those problems. This is also, though, the problem with this discussion right now, in my eyes. Blaming parents and communities is not politically correct and there is no easy answer(s) to point us to a universal fix. It is going to require each person to roll up their sleeves in their communities and improved children’s lives one at a time. But… is there a way to create incentives and programs (inside or outside the school structure) that push people and neighborhoods in the right direction. That is where the conversation should expand to these days – well, at least one area it should expand to these days. Not even sure if this is coherent since it just poured out in the instant I read your post.
I think we agree Stephen. We ought to be organizing by neighborhood. If parents can’t be relied upon, then neighbors need to step up. If kids are truant, then parents should be held accountable. Of course whomever is serving as the judge or arbitrator should have the experience and wisdom to take into account circumstances.