Teachers Appreciate Parents’ Involvement

* Teachers in the Oxnard elementary school district are involved in contract negotiations and unfortunately have been subjected to a tactic that does not enhance the stature of those with whom they are negotiating. A number of accusations, including lack of dedication to students and not spending sufficient time beyond the scheduled school days in preparation and grading, are not only outrageous and blatantly false, but certainly have not had their intended effect.

Teachers are not feeling guilty about an alleged lack of dedication and expenditure of time, but are angry that their superhuman efforts not only aren’t recognized by some school board and parent advisory committee members (at least during negotiations), but are negated or minimized in the misdirected reach for budget economies.

After a 23-year career as a deputy probation officer and supervisor with the Los Angeles County Probation Department, I was profoundly discouraged by the commonality of parental negligence which existed in the backgrounds of almost all the delinquent teen-age boys with whom I worked. My employment with the Oxnard School District has allowed me once again to appreciate the joys of working with a preponderance of non-delinquents, but much to my disappointment, the involvement of many parents in the education of their children is grossly inadequate.

No teacher, no matter how dedicated, can fully compensate for the neglect of parents who lack the time, interest or concern to involve themselves in the daily education of their children. This factual assertion is in no way intended to underestimate or fail to recognize the outstanding efforts and support of many parents who work closely with teachers and consistently stress educational values with their children.

I’ve worked with 10 different teachers during my decade of employment in the district, and I have yet to see any teacher who wasn’t overjoyed with any such parent’s involvement and whose efforts weren’t exceptional in terms of time, preparation and perseverance with all children.

Meanwhile, shotgun efforts to paint all teachers with a soiled and malodorous brush demean the profession and detract from the credibility of some school board and parent advisory committee members who perhaps need to spend more time in classrooms before attempting good faith negotiations.

LAWRENCE BERK

Ventura

Lawrence Berk is an instructional assistant at Bernice Curren elementary school in the Oxnard elementary school district.