New Jersey School District Bans Unannounced Visits

[The Straight Story]

SUMMIT, N.J. (AP) — Students who forget lunch or homework will be out of luck in one New Jersey school district.

Summit schools are stopping unannounced visits in the interest of safety.

The district says as many as 400 people visit Summit High School daily.

In a letter to parents, school Superintendent Nathan Parker writes many visitors are parents dropping off lunches, homework, musical instruments and athletic equipment.

Parker writes that eliminating the visits will make the schools safer and teach students to be accountable.

Students who forget lunches will be fed in the cafeteria and given IOUs.


http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/07/24/new-jersey-school-district-bans-unannounced-visits/

[roody]

1. I am a teacher and I like this.

[elehhhhna]

2. No problem w/ this at the hs level

as long as they do go all stupid (zerotolerance!) and, like, deny an epipen or insulin...

[Llewlladdwr]

3. Straight up bullshit.

Sorry, but I simply wouldn't allow the freaking school to deny me access to my child at any time I see fit.

What the hell is going on in there that they need to hide from parents?

[femmocrat]

5. Do you really think that something nefarious is going on and they are hiding it from parents?

[Llewlladdwr]

6. If they aren't, why the need to keep parents away from the school?

I could understand asking parents to check in at the office when they visit but to tell them they won't be allowed to see their children without prior permission is outrageous.

[femmocrat]

7. Because parents showing up unannounced is very disruptive.

If there is an emergency, that is a different matter. But a teenager forgetting a clarinet or gym clothes is NOT an emergency. Let the kid realize the consequences so he or she learns to become more responsible.

Another reason is custody battles. Sometimes the non-custodial parent shows up demanding access to a child. I have seen that more than once.

[femmocrat]

4. Sounds like a good idea although the story doesn't say if the parents are entering the classrooms.

Of course, having that many parents coming to school to drop things off at the office would be a huge distraction too. Some overworked secretary could spend all day calling kids down to pick up forgotten items.

By high school, the students should be more responsible anyhow. Good grief, how did we ever make it through 13 years of school? My dad worked and my mother didn't drive!