![Should parents be graded on their commitment to their child's education.](/web/20161211021654im_/http://www.essentialkids.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/5/z/g/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gt5zno.png/1481160808435.jpg)
The end of the school year is in sight. Just a few more hurdles and then we can all relax; Christmas cards, candy canes and of course, end of year reports. But while most parents welcome an assessment of their kids' performance, they do not expect their own input to be evaluated.
But a school in the UK is changing that. As well as assessing their students, they are dishing out grades to mums and dads. Parents that are really involved in their kid's education are rewarded with an A, and parents that haven't done their bit get a measly D. It may as well be a slap in the face.
The school, Greasley Beauvale Primary in Nottinghamshire use criteria such as whether mums and dads have attended school events like plays and parent teacher evenings to decide on the grade.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the schools principal, Donna Chambers, said that the scheme had been well received.
"There were some critics but my response was 'well, it can't do any harm'. Between 15 per cent and 20 per cent of parents started out in the lower categories but now that has been reduced to just two per cent," she explained.
Chambers hopes that the scheme will help motivate parental involvement.
"The system is important because you have got to get the parents on board from day one. That one hour initial conversation saying they could improve will pay dividends for the rest of that child's academic life," she said.
But while the scheme may be well intentioned, it reeks of parent shaming. There are lots of reasons why some mums and dads might not be involved in school activities such as work commitments, looking after younger children or caring for elderly relatives.
Most of us do our best, but with dozens of events throughout the year, all the notes and forms, library books, home work and of course, taking a turn at looking after the class mascot, being actively involved can start to feel like a full time job.
And of course, being involved in your kid's education doesn't begin and end at school. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes from helping with homework to keeping uniforms freshly laundered. And what about all the parents who stayed up sewing special costumes at the last minute? Surely that earns a gold star instead of a grade!
I asked parents in my community if they would support a similar scheme at their kids' school. Unsurprisingly, the answer was a resounding no.
"I understand why they might want to encourage greater participation but this is not the way to go," says Margaret.
"I am imagining a single mum with a sick parent, working full time just trying to survive the day. And then getting a D because she missed the parent teacher interviews and couldn't get to the concert."
Likewise, Katrina says: "I'd be getting an F in part because I'm juggling lots but mostly because my daughters school is so incompetent and unrealistic. They schedule nearly everything at times that make it hard or impossible for a working parent to attend & they are really bad at communicating."
Parenting is already stressful, and grading us for our involvement in school will only add to the pressure. Don't grade parents – or give everyone an A for effort, because we're all doing the best we can.
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