Letter: Minister — we need as many parents in PTAs as possible

Dear Sir, 

 I was listening to the news when an interview was showing in which the education minister Dr Grant Gibbons was enlightening the public about this new strategy of removing many parents’ participation in the board-like style of PTAs. 

The notion of having just one parent to represent the variety of parents at each school is simply a means to remove the majority of parents involvement in their child and/or their children’s mental growth. 

The minister stated there would be a need for some 280 parents to be involved in the educational prowess of our children; to this end there are some situations whereby the numbers may not be feasible. Perhaps that is true in a minority of schools, but the idea of minimizing the active participation could only undermine the positive support parents bring to the table. 

In truth, parents should be encouraged to participate on a greater level in each school circumstance, moving forward.

Removing the powerful responsibility of parents in this way does not create harmony. It will only serve to create scenarios where the educational system will have more influence to make shifts and personnel adjustments despite parents’ objections. 

Recent examples of aiming to implement such situations have had to end in the judicial courts in order for parents to protect their children. 

This is the only plausible reason the minister would even consider such a fatal mistake for the future of our PTAs. 

Our society must voice a resounding NO to this shifting of responsibility. 

Let the parents continue to stand up for their children and more so, encourage more parents to take an active role in as many as possible of the islandwide Parent Teacher Associations.

Minister, this is healthy for our children and prevents a depletion of active responsibility. 

John H. Holdipp III

Pembroke