HEADLINES
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	Jarrid Smith Headed For FAU
	The Game Has Changed
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	Where Are The Parents And Do They Even Care?
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Where Are The Parents And Do They Even Care?

By Virginia Mitchell
We are very concerned about the drop out rate amongst our students, why do our youth start losing interest for a rewarding education? Even some of the younger children miss a lot of days within one school year, which affects their learning process that is necessary? Most of these issues are nerve racking trying to wonder why?

Doesn’t anyone care that our youth are missing out on such valuable achievements they could be accomplishing and are very capable of?

Where does this all start from, do you know? If there is no incentive or structure at home, and no encouragement from the parents, the kids feel that if no one cares, why should they?

Have some of us truly given up on trying to pass on the skills needed for success to our children? Don’t we love our children anymore, that we can’t even take the time and effort to encourage and support them, as well as guide them, to a brighter future?
As parents, we need to grasp the concept of what is inevitable for our families. If we’re going to continue to keep reproducing, then carry it on through, don’t just stop at the creation part.

Nurture your youngsters, teach them, be involved with them, whether it be school, sports, whatever. Don’t go and have these children to pawn off on others when you’re tired of them.

If you’re not responsible enough, well then tie them tubes or something, because you’re doing more harm than good. This may be hard to understand for the mothers who are young and naive, but quit spitting out all the kids if you can’t handle all the responsibility that comes with raising a family.

I have been serving as a committee member of the Parent Advisory Committee and the Preschool Parent Committee since 1995 and, during these meetings, I have not seen all the parents, not even half, come and get involved with their children’s participation.

We aren’t asking for all your time, just 1 to 2 hours a month to attend meetings concerning your children’s education. I’m sure there are more than twelve Seminole kids in area schools, but that is the number of parents (same ones all the time) who attend and voice their concerns.

The biggest concern is: Where are the parents of all the other children and do they care about the child’s education? We can’t answer those questions, because many of you have never appeared at the meetings or involve yourselves with your children’s activities.

I like it when the parents that attend meetings vote on issues and enforce them. All of a sudden, out of the woodwork appears all of these parents who want to voice their opinions. This usually takes the same amount of time as when we conducted the first meeting, funny!

We want the best education possible for our children, and you can help make sure they are by getting and staying involved. Many parents come running out of the woodwork, when something happens out of the ordinary, to get mad and try to make a lot of noise to blame everyone else.

Some parents don’t show up to find out what happened because they are only looking for babysitters not an actual preschool! Some of the parents are happy to drop them off to these people/facilities everyday so they can go and do nothing productive. How do you think their children will turn out?

During our monthly meetings, we often ask, how can we get all the parents involved? I am sure you will be surprised at the number of individuals, parents, grandparents, administrators who want to help everyone of you, as well as your children.

Please attempt to attend the monthly meetings and support our Seminole students. The next Education Advisory Committee Meeting is on March 5 at 10:00 a.m. in Big Cypress at the new Family Investment Center.