Kiri Gillespie: Don't hate on parents for poor student attendance

Bay of Plenty schools' attendance rates have reached a nine-year-low but punishing parents isn't the answer, writes Kiri Gillespie. Photo / Getty Images

COMMENT:

I was not a great student in high school, and I'll be the first to admit it.

Disillusioned with boring classes, some spiteful teachers and study in general, I chose to spend my time misbehaving instead. Basically, I bunked class - repeatedly. I wagged a lot when I should have been taking study more seriously.

It got to a point where I was made to go on a daily report, where my teachers would have to sign a piece of paper to prove I showed up.

So it was with some interest to hear parents being blamed for their children's lack of attendance at school.

This week, this paper revealed the Bay of Plenty and Waiariki regions have an overall regular attendance of 51.3 per cent - the worst rate in the country. Parents excusing their children for overseas trips and illness were the main reasons why according to local principals. It was also suggested by the Ministry of Education that parents could, or should, do more.

I don't agree.

If parents are taking children overseas for a holiday, think of the rich life experiences those children will encounter – the different languages, cultures, architecture, etc. Not all learning is done in the classroom.

In my experience, my tendency for wagging class all those years ago was in no way a reflection of my parents. In fact, many in Rotorua may recognise the name Gillespie from teacher roles at the local high schools during the '80s and '90s. It might not be obvious from the tenor of this editorial but if anything, they instilled in my brothers and I a passion for education from an early age.

But as a headstrong teenager, I grew disenchanted with high school – particularly the teachers that I felt singled me out as a teacher's daughter like that was a bad thing.

My point is, my wagging was in no way a reflection of my parents. It was all me. The idea of punishing them for my antics seems, to me, to defeat the purpose.

For the record, I never missed a day of Mrs Dempster's class. Maureen Dempster is sadly no longer with us but she, as a teacher, was a shining beacon in my pretty disappointing drawl of high school. She treated me like I was actually worth a damn. So I reciprocated. By the end of that year, I left her class with honours.

We need to make schools more engaging for children. Treat them without prejudice. Find their passion and use their learning language. Do that, and children will actually want to attend school. Such terrible attendance rates will be a thing of the past.