Maybe It Is Time To End Free Education...

I'm not going to discuss the national news stories on the failings of our public education system. Those stories are irrelevant to my point. Besides, for every public school district in dire straits, there are hundreds of other school districts still managing to craft a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning. I am NOT advocating for charter schools, private schools or the end of public education. I am saying maybe it is time to require a serious INVESTMENT in education... from the PARENTS.

When we hear news about the failing of our public education system, two factors are constantly brought up: Teachers and Students. Blame the teachers for not teaching and blame the students for not taking advantage of the opportunity a free education provides; but there is a third, vitally important part of the public education system we hear very little about: Parental Involvement. 

Okay, let's get all the banter out of the way and cut to the meat of this argument. Yes, you have a job, maybe two, maybe even three. Yes, you might be raising a child or children by yourself. Yes, you are barely keeping your head above water. Yes, algebra is difficult. Yes, I didn't care for Shakespeare either and I failed French too. Okay. Are we done making excuses? Okay. Let's talk about investing.

We invest in those activities we believe in, not with money, but with time. As a parent you have invested countless hours in the life or lives of your child(ren). YOU invested time in staying up with your child through those seemingly endless nights of sleep, cry, sleep, cry, feed, cry some more before you both passed out from exhaustion. YOU invested time in potty training. YOU invested time attending to wounds on hands, knees and hearts. YOU invested time you no longer remember because YOUR child is PRICELESS, regardless of the deep depreciation that is the teenage years.  YOU DID THAT! You STILL do it EVERY DAY! And in the quiet corners of their mind, your children record how much you have invested in them and believe it or not, those small acts of unconditional love add up to deep reverence and a love words cannot detail. All because of the small investments in time and attention you have made. (Do you feel good about yourself as a parent? Hold that feeling... because it all goes downhill from here...)

Public education is free, but the real value of a free public education comes from the investment YOU make in it. Every party to the educational process receives a grade EXCEPT for the PARENTS. Why is that? Is it because we, as parents, don't ask our children to grade us when it comes to our investment in their education? Maybe we should ask our children, 'What grade would you give me for MY involvement in your education?' Involvement and Investment make a HUGE difference in the VALUE of a public education. Schools are not babysitting warehouses for kids ages 5 through 18. Teachers are not the ones who set the example for your children, nor are they solely responsible for YOUR CHILD's education. Parents, loving, caring, eternally deep wells of supportiveness for those who will remember you when all others have forgotten; Money was not the determining factor in what you learned, it was the investment in time someone made in you. Is your child not worthy of a similar investment?

When something is truly free, no effort is required, no rewards are generally offered and we place little value on it. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for (and PLEASE don't begin to talk about taxes. We all pay taxes. Your tax money went down the same hole mine did and it hasn't stopped falling yet). Investments don't have to be MASSIVE; Maybe attend an investor meeting with other investors (PTSA) and a schedule weekly conference call with your two investment partners, your child and one of their teachers. Teachers love to talk about your mutual investment if you reach out to them. 

Education should not be free. It should require an investment and parents should be graded on their investment strategy. Failing to invest time and energy into the education of your child should cost you monetarily. Students with high grades and good conduct pay nothing. Low grades and poor conduct should require some monetary contribution from the parent, because babysitters and warehouses are not free. If you were made to pay $25 a week to send your kid to school because of their failing grades and your lack of involvement, how long would it take before you start investing your time into your child’s education? Isn’t your child worth more than that?