BTSN

Unlike similar acronyms such as the BCS (College Football's Champion Ship Series) BTSN is in most schools throughout the US. It stands for Back to School Night. Parents drag themselves away from the Republican National Convention and go to school to look those educators of the youngin in the eye and see if they are fit. They also are subjected to sitting in too small of seats albeit for 10 minutes at a time and to listen to endless rules of the classroom and academic expectations. Its also the first chance that the parents have to demonstrate to their children that they care about their education. There are kinds of parents that arrive at back to school night.

First, the parent no show. These are parents that are too embarrassed that they only finished third grade in Mexico that they do not want to show there faces. These are also the parents whose kids are the meanest. They need to know that the school will not tolerate their kids not allowing others to learn and the they will face discipline throughout the year. We will see often see these parents throughout the year as they are dragged into IEPs and threatened with expulsion. So the back to school night would be just a waste of time for them.

The second type of parent is the parent that is reliving their high school years. They dance from class to class as they follow their child's progress through the day. They know their child will do well, because they have dressed their child in the finest clothes and clothed them in academic expectations that far exceed what they were able to accomplish in school. These parents are seldom disappointed by the school and are charmed by quaint tales of the history teacher and a bit too chummy to the other teachers.. but alas the school can do not wrong so.. why Back to School Night?

The third group of parents come to Back to School night with a chip on their shoulder. Someone has told them that the best education a kid can get is if the parent comes to school and demands that the student despite himself will achieve great grades and move along to the approved school and succeed in life with mom's foot up the you know what of the school. They are the ones that make a scene at Back to School Night and try to prove that they know more than the teachers that work with their students. Any information provided for these parents gets misinterpreted and often gets blown out of context. These parents should stay home. Their kids can handle themselves.

The point grubbers are the fourth group. The teacher has offered points for parents to show up at BTSN. Parents begrudgingly go to BTSN so that they may sing the register and prove that they were there. This helps their student get points so that they may get a better grade in class.

So tomorrow at Back to School Night at one of my schools, I will be wondering.. why did only two parents show up.. I guess I can get the answer from the above.

{scratching his head}

: ) Pat