6 Feb 2006
Increased parental involvement, time for dialogue is observance's goal
DALLAS— The Dallas Council of PTAs will join in the celebration of the 11th annual National African American Parent Day, Monday, February 13.
The day is intended to generate a dialogue among teachers, parents, and students that will help create a better learning environment for African American students.
"This observance is a call to parents to get more involved in their children's education," said Areatha Jones, president of the Dallas Chapter of the National Alliance of Black School Educators. "The celebration was conceived in Dallas during the National Alliance of Black School Educators Conference in 1995 to address the academic gap faced by African American students, particularly the academic achievement of African American males."
This year, parents are encouraged to "Show Your Love: Come to the Table" by taking their children to school, visiting their children in school, sitting at the table with school staff, and sitting around the table with their children.
"Across the district, schools, religious institutions, organizations and businesses are encouraged to make a special effort to be "parent friendly" and plan to accommodate dialogue with parents," said Walter Price, president of the Dallas Council of PTAs.
National African American Parent Involvement Day.
In the Dallas Independent School District, schools will engage in such activities as tours, visual displays to encourage parental volunteering, tutoring and mentoring.
` "Every parent wants their child to have a better quality of life than they themselves had. It is the American dream: and for many African Americans, this dream has not been realized as a result of their child's failure in school. Education is the key to success and parents are educators' greatest allies," says Joseph Dulin, founder of National African American Parent Involvement Day.