By KRISTI GRAY / New Zealand Press
22 June 2006
from Punishing/Billing Parents for Student/Parent Misconduct
Irate parents who abuse teachers in front of their students could now be fined $1000.
The increased fine has been welcomed by teachers and principals, who say aggressive parents are a growing problem.
An amendment to the Education Act has increased the fine for abusing, insulting or intimidating school staff in front of students – in and out of school – from $40 to $1000.
It’s the law! You MUST treat teachers respectfully regardless of how they may treat you or your child. Apparently, there’s no freedom of speech right to insult teachers in front of students. It’s a reasonable “time, place and manner” restriction, don’t you know.
I predict that this law will sweep through the U.S. like wildfire within 2 years.
My advice to NZ parents is to agree to meet with educators only outside the presence and hearing of all students, including their own child(ren). If lawful, record the conversation, then play it back to your child(ren) later if you think they should hear it. Better yet, if you think there’s any chance of conflict, send your statements in a letter or email, along with a statement that you’d be willing to speak in person except for the eggshell feelings of some teachers who might be insulted by hearing the truth of what you think.
You know where this is heading next, don’t you? Any parent who insults any teacher on any website will be considered to have done so in the presence of students, since students can access the Internet. Then the law will be expanded to cover administrators, teacher assistants, school monitors, aides, bus drivers, nurses, counselors, janitors, school board members and state education officials.
School Trustees’ Association president Chris Haines said schools commonly served trespass notices to keep aggressive or bullying parents from entering a school.
The association did not keep figures on the exact numbers, but he said they would have talks with at least two parents a month on issuing an order.
The new provision, which would allow prosecution of offending parents, was an extra means of signalling to parents that there was a correct way to deal with issues they had about teachers.
Apparently, the only correct way to deal with conflicts is to say, “Yessum,” since the bureaucracy almost always defends the teachers. I suppose “yessum” would be considered sarcasm, which would be insulting, so fines would be levied for that, too.
“We need to offer a measure of protection to teachers and to let parents know there is a proper procedure rather than bursting into a school and abusing a teacher,” Haines said. “We hope the $1000 will be a good deterrent and we won’t actually have to use it.”
New Zealand Principals’ Federation president Pat Newman said the previous penalty did not make it worthwhile for schools to ask police to prosecute people abusing principals and staff in front of students.
“The new $1000 fine should give the act more teeth and be another string to our bow,” Newman said.
It’s the parents who are powerless, not the schools. Please. Speech is the only power they have. How about a reciprocal law that fines educators for “abusing, insulting or intimidating” parents or students in front of other students?
“Staff are experiencing increasing amounts of abuse by caregivers or relatives who are often under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“Many schools have no males on the staff and it can be a real problem for younger female teachers confronted by a large male with an anger problem.”
Newman advised schools to use the process with caution and understanding.
“We need to let parents know schools are not going to continue to put up with being verbally threatened and abused,” he said. “But we also need caution to make sure we use the power carefully. In fact, I hope we never have to use it.”
The amendment said a person could be charged with abusing staff within the presence or hearing of students regardless of whether it was at school or any other place where students had gathered for school purposes, Newman said.
So, a dispute at a school sports event or dance is also covered, as well as a dispute in the parking lot when a teacher hits a parent’s car. You could even insult somebody in front of students, not knowing s/he is a teacher, and still be guilty. And the law would likely apply to school board meetings when students attend them on class assignments. Do you suppose kings and queens have similar laws? How much longer before a law requires parents to kneel before teachers, since not doing so would be considered an insult?
Addington Primary School principal Trudy Heath said the school supported the amendment and had sent a letter to parents informing them of the change.
“As a staff, we are trying to encourage and reward good manners and respect for one another,” Heath said. “We think parents and caregivers should provide a role model, just as we do.”
Teachers, like everyone else, have to earn respect. If it isn’t earned, it can’t reasonably be expected, absent a $1,000 fine mandating faux respect.