Life skills are to be taught in all schools. That tardiness has been an issue at Oak Park and River Forest High School for years, as stated in the lead story, is an indication of administrative leadership and parents denying their role to model and demonstrate skills in this school district. [No consequences for tardy protestors, News, May 12] The academic culture therein reflects ongoing slackness, unprofessionalism and parent non-participation in the need to be “present” in the classroom. And, what is this “existing 12-tardy limit per class,” which tells us that tardiness is just the normal academic process at OPRF?
To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late is unacceptable is a common saying. The parents and academic faculty at OPRF are setting up all of their students for failure in the real world with any tardy allowances. Just try to be tardy in any other work or academic place 12 times and realize what happens.
That students protested tiny, incremental changes to their already unrealistic tardy measures shows they have learned the toxic tardy culture there well. Tardy students show no respect for their education. They show no respect for the rights of others to receive an education. Tardy students like to be noticed. Tardy students like it when people notice that they have power to change the dynamic in a group of people when they enter the room. Tardy students should be mandated to join a drama club to express themselves properly and not at the expense of others. OPRF should be a safe place to learn.
Why should my voice count in this tardy matter? My 21st century, 2001 masters of arts in teaching degree from Willamette University, high school business education certification, and varied teaching in Oregon, Washington, Montana and Illinois have verified that parents and school administrations set the path for education in public schools. If many OPRF parents would coordinate with school administration for parent audits of entire school days, the culture would improve, big time. Parents wear nametags and sit at the back of any class, with notepad silently auditing the “weather” in the room.
Parents have a right, and duty, to audit schools. There is both shock and awe to be found there, ladies and gentlemen, shock and awe.
Susan Swatek
Oak Park
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It’s hard to believe anyone has any comment at all about requiring students to be in class and ready to learn – on time! Good life lesson, in my opinion. I applaud you, Mr. Rouse.
As far as comparing being on time to class to the Gestapo, that’s simply insulting. The Gestapo arrested and imprisoned people – most of whom later were killed in a systematic fashion. Ms. Morgan’s complaint about a tardy system that is too harsh does the children of Oak Park no service at all. Her comparison of this to the Gestapo insults families like mine whose ancestors were killed in the system that employed the Gestapo.
Kim Gerns
Oak Park