Every Tuesday I volunteer in Annabel’s classroom. This generally entails running around the room answering kids’ questions, helping with crafts, or manning a learning center. Annabel is always super-excited to have me there, and I love being able to see her in her element with her classmates. I’m very thankful to be in a position where I can volunteer there, especially since I know not every parent is able to get into the classroom so easily.
Sometimes we decorate cookies, too.
Right now in California there is a proposed bill that would require employers to give parents of K—8th graders three paid days off each year to participate in school-related activities. As is usually the case with these kinds of bills, there are people who are strongly for and against the idea.
Proponents of the bill point to studies that show that parents who are more engaged in their kids’ education have children who perform better in school and have less disciplinary problems. Low-income parents — those who make less than $30,000 per year — are (statistically speaking) the least-engaged in their kids’ schools, citing a lack of time and conflicting work schedules as the reasons they aren’t more involved. Presently, employees are required to give parents five unpaid days off to participate in school-related activities, but lower-income parents are the least able to take the hit of an unpaid day off to help out. This bill would allow them to be present at school without worrying that doing so might keep them from paying their bills.
On the other side, critics worry about how much money this will cost businesses. The assemblyman who proposed the bill says that small businesses will be exempt, but it’s still unknown how much this bill will affect other business’s bottom line.
Personally, I like the bill because I’m here for anything that allows parents to be more involved in their kids’ education. I am incredibly privileged to have the flexibility to be able to volunteer at Annabel’s school, and I would love for all parents to be able to experience this in some way. Of course, I’m no economist or politician so I don’t know just how much of a negative fiscal impact the bill could have, but on the surface of things I see a lot of good potentially coming out of the bill — especially since helping lower-income kids to do better in school will have a positive impact on California’s economy in the long run.
Plus, I’m in favor of anything that will help our teachers out a little more…I’m in the classroom for an hour a week and I’m exhausted! Teachers are superheroes.
DefendUSA says:
I volunteered a lot as a stay-at-home mom. As the kids got older, of course, I was not needed in the same capacity. The elementary school principal forged a great relationship between the parents whose children were bused in from low income areas. She sent a school bus to pick them up so they could attend PTA meetings or nighttime school events.
Another way that fostered inclusion for kids and parents was to send home the busy work needed for the whole class. Something the parents could do and the kids could help with. It wasn’t perfect but it was one way to show involvement. These parents lives are all about survival for the most part. And there really are some who just don’t have the bandwidth to participate that way. As a small business owner, I would be exempt. But even if I were bigger, I would let them do it because I could. That stuff is priceless. Mandating it? Not a fan.
SUSAN SPARKS says:
I think that it is a shame that business owners, big or small, have NO concern for our children’s education….I know that every single time that I have asked to come in late a couple of hours, or be off for some special event at my kids school it is met with a strong look of disapproval….well, I’m sorry but my children will ALWAYS come first and if that means I have to take a personal day or vacation date or whatever it might be called, then that’s what I will do to ensure that they will continue to know how important their day is to me…
Margie says:
I would love to. Come on, Texas!
Jackson says:
Has this been tried before in other states where there would be data to show how well it worked?
Val says:
It’s sad that it isn’t k-12. 9th through 12th graders ALSO need parents who are present and who participate. One could probably argue, they need it even more because it’s such a sensitive age. Either way, I hope it passes because children’s needs and education in general need to be a bigger priority in this country.
Heather says:
I totally agree (especially since Mike was a high school teacher). I would guess the thinking here is that early intervention in education is incredibly important, but high school is so difficult. Baby steps, I guess!
Maddy says:
I think there are also issues like they aren’t in the same classroom all the time at high school, high schoolers are less likely to want their parents in the classroom, and the kind of work they are doing is less likely to be able to be supported by all parents. One would hope though that if parents were going into their childrens classes when they were younger this would help them take an interest in their childs education and understand more where they need support etc., and this is something they could carry through into high school, just at home instead of in the classroom
Katrina says:
I would vote yes for this. I wonder, though… would they require a signed note from the school to prove that you actually used those three days to participate in a school function? Or would they just give you those days off without even checking to see what you used those days for? Interested to see where this goes! I think it’s a great idea. Kids LOVE when their parents show up at school (well, unless it’s to meet in the principal’s office! that’s no fun. Not speaking from experience, of course)
twingles says:
I”m not normally in favor of things like this, especially as the wife of a small business owner – it seems we are bound and determined to legislate small business owners right out of business. However, as a former TA, I think that every parent should be REQUIRED to volunteer for a week at their children’s schools and this is a great way to get it done. i can assure you it would solve MANY educational problems (many of which originate with completely clueless parents…like the one in my sister’s class who thinks basketball should be banned at recess because HER SON can’t play nicely).
As far as the comment that companies don’t care about education because they MAY NOT be in favor of this law, what a juvenile thing to say or think. If we keep giving everything away for free, pretty soon jobs will start going away too.
And personally I don’t believe that this is going to change certain demographics and their willingness or ability to volunteer at school. Rich or poor, there are people who don’t want to bother….period. And that’s why we need my volunteer requirement, LOL.
Karen says:
I think this a great idea, in theory. However I see yet another opportunity for possible misuse of the “system.” If the parents have to show proof to their employer that they indeed volunteer in their child’s classroom then I’m all for it. Where there is money involved you will always room for abuse.
I was lucky enough to be able to volunteer in both my sons’ classrooms as they were growing up and it was some of the best experiences that I have ever had. I hope the bill passes but I also hope there is a built in “check and balance” to keep the whole idea running smoothly and fairly.
Aubrey says:
As a kid my mother was never at a school function that I can remember. She worked a lot of double shifts as a waitress when I was in grade school. I remember the hurt that I felt over it. I made a promise my children would never feel that way. I missed my son’s first band concert a couple weeks ago due to a scheduling conflict on my part. He is a freshman in high school this year. I am feeling extremely guilty over it. I think this is a very important bill that will absolutely make a difference in children’s lives. And the parents as well!
Shannon says:
Look, I’m a parent. I volunteer in my child’s school. I’m also a former teacher and a former resident of California. I know how hard teachers work, and it would be great to give parents more opportunity to share the workload. That would foster a sense of community and, on a more superficial level, quell a lot of rumors that go around about what happens at school. I am all for parents getting to volunteer at school.
However, I’m always looking at things from the perspective of my friends who don’t have kids. Why not allow them time off to do volunteer work somewhere else?
Catherine says:
YES! I don’t understand the logic behind giving employees with children benefits that employees without children aren’t granted as well. As Shannon mentioned, childless workers could use the extra paid time off to volunteer, take care of aging parent with health issues, or engage in some other personally fulfilling activity.
Jolene says:
Coming from a working mother who works for a company with very little to no flexibility, I would cry tears of joy if this bill was passed. I long to be more involved in my daughter’s school and if it took “proof” that I truly used those days off for school functions, then so be it. I would gladly oblige. If there is something in the middle of the day or even late morning, I need to take the entire day off because God forbid I come into work a few hours late. Such a shame.
Tania says:
I would be very in favor of this bill, I am now a small business owner in Maine, prior to this I worked in corporate America in banking where I was told one day “you need to make friends with stay at home moms so you don’t have to take time off for your child” yup you heard it…..oh and I needed to find a stay at home mum to take my child is she was sick…..I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum, I was a SAHM then went back to work then after 6 years was laid off due to department cuts, and now being my own boss it is great I make sure to make my daughters school functions and so forth, although for the first time ever I missed her chorus concert two weeks ago due to my own scheduling conflict, it will NEVER happen again. It would be nice to know that you as a parent can volunteer for things such as a day field trip without getting back lash from the upper ups
Eric says:
Here at my employer (the University of Virginia), full time faculty and staff get 16 hours per year of “school/volunteer leave.” You can use these to volunteer at your kids’ (or grandkids’) school, lead a field trip, attend a Girl/Boy Scouts function, etc. You can also use the hours to volunteer with the ASPCA, or Habitat for Humanity, or at a local food bank. You can even use ’em (as one of my employees does) to donate plasma on a regular basis. Love it.