The Concept of "Parent Duty" was conceived by Mr. Guy Durant, a resident of Washington, DC because Public Schools in Washington, DC are not "Parent" Based and therefore are suffering from poor performance despite high per capita spending per student. Many reasons have been given for why the schools are under performing. My thesis is that it is not one variable but multiple issues that must be addressed.
However, all school issues can be controlled at a public school administrative level except for one big piece: The Parents. I therefore raise the controversial issue of passing a law that would require "Parent Duty".
What is "Parent Duty"? Similar to "Jury Duty" it is a recognition that just as our Obligation to the Court and Criminal Justice System requires each Citizen to serve on "Jury Duty", we should prioritize our greater obligations to each other in our community by likewise establishing court enforceable "Parent Duty" for all Parents or Legal Guardians of Public School attendees.
Why such a drastic legal framework and obligation? Well, first of all, we are our brother's keeper. One of the great predictors of poverty and subsequent criminal histories are the lack of education and high school dropout rates of criminal perpetrators. By requiring Parent(s) to attend the "Summons" or Mandatory Attendance at Parent/Teacher Conferences to discuss and face the issues public school officials have with poorly performing or disruptive students, we can help to reduce the need for suspensions and other traditional methods of school discipline and shift that burden of accountability back to where it should fall: The Parents.
How does "Parent Duty" work? Similar to "Jury Duty". The school officials (Teachers and Principals) would have court backed authority to "Summon" a Parent at least once a semester or quarter to the School to sit down with the student and their teachers to discuss discipline and academic problems. Just as skipping "Jury Duty" is an illegal act and you can be fined and/or imprisoned; so can Parents or Legal Guardians be issued Warrants for Arrest or be issued Fines for failure to appear at School to answer and face questions about their child.
Further, Just as Employers are Required by Law to give Leave of Absence for employees serving on "Jury Duty", the "Parent Duty" laws would make it illegal for employers to discriminate against parents or legal guardians who must appear at "Parent Duty".
This Website will help those of us that wish to advocate for "Parent Duty" and similar school improvement ideas to Blog and Share Ideas about how we can best do that. This is a start. This is one idea to start a drastic but much needed change. Please join me in asking your elected and school officials to endorse local and national "Parent Duty" laws across America.
Thank you.
Guy Durant