Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on April 19, 2001, to encourage school districts to develop and implement parental involvement contracts with parents of students. The contracts would be voluntary and designed to encourage parents' involvement in their child's education. They would review homework and offer assistance, ensure that the pupil gets to school each day on time, attend school functions and support the pupil's school activities, and make every effort to attend parent-teacher conferences. Students would be required to participate in class discussions and complete assignments in a manner that is accurate, neat, and timely; come to school each school day and be on time; pay attention in class; obey the rules set for the classroom; and not antagonize, intimidate, or threaten teachers, school administrators, and other pupils

The vote was 103 in favor, 1 opposed and 5 not voting

(House Roll Call 142 at House Journal 38)

Click here to view bill details.

Asking students and parents to voluntarily sign contracts of participation are useless. An uninterested or bad student will not get better by merely signing a contract. Good students do not stay good by signing it either. Performance is a matter of personal responsibility. It is a moral choice instilled in the student for his or her own sake. Reducing this moral principle to a contract is meaningless and may in fact, reduce the moral meaning of personal responsibility. Since the contracts are not helpful, and not enforceable, the use of them is a waste of money earned by taxpayers who take responsibility for themselves in earning the money in the first place.