There has been a great deal of proposed legislation this term having to do with teacher and administration accountability to students. The newest is for a "parent trigger" law, allowing parents to fire principals and eliminate low-performing schools ("'Trigger' law would give parents clout in schools," April 7).
This proposal has the chance to be effective only if it includes a "school trigger" clause. Under such a clause, if a team of educators determines that a parent of a low-achieving student has not regularly helped the child with homework, has not attended parent conferences and curriculum meetings, and does not follow the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics for sleep and nutrition, then the school has the right to tell the parent to find another school.
Until we enact legislation that includes parent accountability, all new laws regarding teachers and principals are almost worthless.
DAVE DEMPSEY, ROSEMOUNT
