Published: November 03, 2009 11:51 am      

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I’m writing in response to the story published 10-28-09, regarding a 6th grade Willard student being made to stand facing a brick wall during recess for not turning in his homework.

I am a mother of a 6th grade Willard student myself. My responsibility as a mother is to first check with my child every evening to see if they have homework, second to make sure they have their assignment ready to turn in before getting to the school.

We are dealing with 11 and 12 year-olds here, not adults. They are just starting to learn responsibility and need a parent or teacher to direct them. I will say to the Ada City School System, if my child was to not turn in a homework assignment or display an attitude with a school official, put my child’s nose right up to that wall.

Yes, I understand after-school detention is an option, but with the economy the way it is, can we afford to pay teachers to stay after hours to “watch” our children do their homework or is that a free-get-out-of-jail card for misparenting?

If the child was to receive an “F” for no homework, what would Ms. Caton have to say then?

If every time a child got a little bit of discipline and a parent called to challenge — what are you teaching your child about taking control for their own actions?

As a parent, I believe that when my child is in the classroom she is the teachers’ student; every time she is on the softball field she is the coaches player. I am the mother and fan of my child. I pay taxes to put my child in the hands of an educated human being to be taught the things that they are trained to do.

My job is to teach morals, responsibility, values, etc. If we want our children to show respect, we have got to, as parents, do it ourselves. Children still reflect the actions of their parents and repeat what they hear.

What do you honestly think that challenging Mr. Mann and the school policy will teach your child, Ms. Caton?

One thing that is certain is the children at Willard School have been exploited to the media. Who gave you permission, Ms. Caton, to take pictures of children at Willard School and put them in newspapers across the state and put on the tv news channels?  

I never signed a single release form nor did you ask my permission. Secondly, the concentration of 5th and 6th grade students now is not math, science, etc. The focus now is the “hype” of this topic.

My daughter, instead of telling me how great a day she had Wednesday Oct. 28, 2009, or what she learned and worked on, came home to tell me about a boy and his mother who were in the newspaper for not liking Mr. Mann’s authority, as a 6th grader would say.



Maurisa Dame, Ada