Parents: How to Advocate for Your Child

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1. JoanneS says:

   September 11, 2013 at 9:26 am

   Nicely done, but how ridiculous that it’s necessary.

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2. Dienne says:

   September 11, 2013 at 10:05 am

   Off topic, but related. Last night I was talking to a woman (BJ) who runs a play-based in-home daycare in Oak Park, Illinois. Oak Park School District absurdly (not to mention obscenely) passed a rule that requires testing for all incoming kindergarteners – those who don’t pass have to do “summer school”. One of her daycare children didn’t pass because – get this – he didn’t know names and values of money (something I’m pretty sure I didn’t know until at least second grade). So for five weeks this past summer, he had to go for three hours a day, five days a week to get drilled on everything he “needs” to know *before* kindergarten.

   Fast forward a few months and now he’s actually started kindergarten, which is just more of the same as “summer school”. No toys in the class, one 20 minute recess, the rest skill drills. Fortunately, it’s only half-day and he returns to BJ’s daycare at lunchtime. On his first day back he asked her if she knew what a “bubble hug” is. Apparently, whenever the kids have to walk anywhere, they have to wrap their arms around themselves in a “hug” and puff out their cheeks in a “bubble” to keep them from talking or touching anything. Before he went off to school, this kid had started to give up his nap. Now he comes to daycare and willingly sleeps for two hours. He says he hates school. Congratulations, Oak Park – break them early!

   BTW, Oak Park is one of the more affluent Chicago suburbs and it’s considered so progressive that detractors often refer to it as “The People’s Republic of Oak Park” (so liberal even the freeway exits are on the left!).

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   • Duane Swacker says:

     September 11, 2013 at 10:23 am

     Ay Ay Ay, What madness!

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   • retiredbutmissthekids says:

     September 11, 2013 at 12:42 pm

     Dienne–As a fellow Chicago-area denizen (a suburban one), this makes me sick. The members of the Oak Park School Board–along w/the superintendent–need their heads knocked together, Three Stooges style.
     Ask your friend to call the Oak Park Library & request that they order as many copies of Reign of Error as there are school board members, + sup’t., then check them out & give a copy to each & every one of those people.
     I only hope that they can read! (Oh, wait–they probably went to school at a time that teachers were actually allowed to TEACH.)

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     • Dienne says:

       September 11, 2013 at 12:50 pm

       Good idea!

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   • dolphin says:

     September 13, 2013 at 11:02 am

     Good Grief. A child that young does NOT need to know the value of money.

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     • dolphin says:

       September 13, 2013 at 11:03 am

       The above was meant for Dienne’s comment.

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