Why This Response?

Summer is almost over and I am already feeling a little stress about JoJo returning to Jr. High to attend 8th grade. We experienced a little bit of conflict with his education this past year. This became a struggle for us to make sure that he was indeed getting the best education possible and that meant having to do alot of the work that the school and his teachers should have been responsible for doing.

JoJo has the tendency to be a procrastinator when it comes to his school work. We have always encouraged him to do his best and to go above and beyond the normal effort that he puts forth. Because of this, he did not do so well the first couple of 6 weeks for the 2007-2008 school year. Needless to say, we had no idea that his grades were as low as they were, at least not until he brought home his grade card. We were more disappointed that noone at the school had bothered to let us know that he was either goofing off in class, not turning in assignments, failing tests, or whatever the case may have been that attributed to the grades that he had brought home.

I did what I felt any other mother would have done and spoke with the Assistant Principal at the school to ask advice on what else I could do as a parent to ensure his success at school. She was very helpful and gave me some tips and suggestions for things that I could do to help. I let her know that I recognized that JoJo had a tendency to procrastinate and that we were holding him responsible for his grades at this point.

The next day JoJo was confronted in the hallway by an "angry" principal who "didn't appreciate his mother calling to complain about his school". I was blown away when I heard that he had been confronted in the hallway by the principal and very disappointed that he was addressed this way, all because his parents showed concerned for his educational success.  

The meeting didn't go very well with the principal as attempted to began by lashing out at my son to try and defend the actions that he had taken in the hallway, earlier in the day. I will just add that didn't go over very well with me and the meeting actually got a big ugly when I spoke my peace about my son's education. He showed such a lack of concern for what I, as a parent, had set out a long time to do, and that was to make sure that my children receive the best education possible.

By the end of the school year, JoJo had brought his grades up on his own, with only a two-way communication with one of his teachers and myself after several attempts to establish one with all the others. He was determined to succeed for himself, because even he recognized that his concern for his grades and education was greater than that he received from his teachers and principal.

Still, months later I am so disappointed in the school's response to JoJo's education and have tried tirelessly to try and find other options to his education. The new school year is fast approaching and I am almost sick to think that he has to attend this school again in the fall. A small city doesn't offer much in the way of different schools to attend. Hopefully, we as a family will face this challenge head on and beat the school and its disregard for a succesful education for my son.