Local reactions are mixed on a Georgia House bill that proposes to require parents to attend a parent-teacher conference if their child gets an “F” in the same subject on two consecutive report cards.
Parents who intentionally miss conferences could face a $500 fine from the local Juvenile Court, according to legislation filed by Georgia Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, D-Lithonia.
The bill is up for a hearing in the House Education Committee next week.
Catoosa County parent Khristy Nicely said all parents should be involved in their children’s education, especially when they have failing grades.
“If I had a child with a failing grade, I would definitely be at teacher conferences to find out where the problem is,” said Mrs. Nicely, who has a son in third grade at Cloud Springs Elementary School and a daughter in pre-k at Battlefield Primary School.
Rep. Dawkins-Haigler said parent-teacher associations and school officials in Georgia are finding “that when children are failing, the parents will not come in for a parent-teacher conference once it’s been requested.”
The bill attempts “to have parents more involved in their children’s education,” she said.
Mrs. Nicely was unsure whether the problem rises to the level of needing state law to back it up.
“If there are parents who don’t care to go to teacher conferences, how do you make the parent help the child?” she asked. “Maybe (a law) would make people take more responsibility for raising children the right way.”
Catoosa County Superintendent Denia Reese said Georgia’s cash-strapped school systems cannot afford to take on a legal battle with parents.
HOUSE BILL 1232It would require parent conferences when a student receives a failing grade in a subject on two consecutive report cards and would provide for proceedings against a parent or guardian who fails to attend. If the bill is passed, local boards of education could file a petition in Juvenile Court asking the court to determine whether a parent “willfully and unreasonably” avoided the meeting and possibly issue a fine up to $500.
“I appreciate Rep. Dawkins-Haigler’s concern for maintaining communication with parents when students are failing courses,” Mrs. Reese said. “However, with the current state budget cuts for education, we would not have the resources to enforce this legislation.”
Rep. Jay Neal, R-LaFayette, said the severity of the issue probably differs across the state and such a law could create a burden on school systems and juvenile courts where the problem was worst.
“I think it’s something that, before you move forward with this, we’ve got to look at all those potential consequences,” Rep. Neal said.
But “at first glance, I really like what she’s trying to do,” he said.
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