Teaches need permission before they can talk to parents
Teachers at an East Harlem elementary school are bizarrely forbidden from communicating with parents without first getting a supervisor's permission and from calling parents outside of normal school hours, the teachers handbook says.
While many schools are jumping through hoops to get parents involved in their kids' education, PS 146 prohibits teachers from using their cellphones or personal e-mail accounts to discuss anything with parents of the students they oversee all day.
"All student concerns, phone calls to parents, any communication with parents/guardians and/or personnel matters require notification/approval to your direct supervisor," the rigid regulations say. "ALL communication must be made from school phones only."
A few years earlier I had access to a teacher's cellphone number. We had some great conversations off hours. Made a huge difference. Since my daughter is a Special Ed student, this was especially useful as I felt I had an ally instead of just the usual more formal teacher-- parent relationship. (I am MissShuganah on Twitter FWIW.) Best way for teachers and parents to have allies is for the lines of communication to be kept open. Very telling to me when a principal or administrator insists on being this controlling.
hiding.
something.