I know that we are in the throes of a Bush-speak crisis, but I didn't know it was this bad - is it "volunteering" if it's mandatory?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39880-2004Sep21.htmlParents' Mandatory Volunteering
Some Pr. William Schools Require a Contract Agreeing to Get Involved
By Christina A. Samuels
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 22, 2004; Page B01
Every school has a hardy group of super-parents who make it their job to bake the cookies, chaperone the field trips or run off worksheets on the copy machine. But in a few school programs in Prince William County, parent involvement is mandatory, not an option shouldered by a few.
Parents at the Pennington and Porter schools, two specialty schools that draw children from across the county, sign a contract pledging to volunteer at least 10 hours for every child they have enrolled. If they don't, their children may be returned to their base school, although to date that has not happened.
In addition, the county tried requiring parenting classes earlier this year for the families of some children on long-term suspension. The pilot program, paid for with a grant, was so successful that educators are considering offering the classes to parents of students in New Directions, a program at two high schools for students who otherwise would be suspended or expelled.
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