After Vanderbilt University released a study of private school parents showing that, “even in schools that enjoy a healthy relationship with their parent body, the evolving role of private school parents can present a source of significant conflict, necessitating a negotiation over the extent to which parents should participate in, sway, or control school policies, procedures, and decisions,” the Association of Imaginary Schools launched its own study. The results of this AIS study of parent engagement at independent schools were released today and they were sobering. The research showed that there are four distinct stages of parent/school engagement and that, in general, the parent trajectory is toward increasing negativity and disillusionment.
The four stages resemble the progress of teenage romance:
- Infatuation
- Too Many Phone Calls
- Sulking
- Breakup
The AIS highlights the importance of reaching out to parents in the second stage to prevent them from developing severe disillusionment. Although the study found that most parents either become indifferent when they reach the final stage, or simply naturally leave the school when their child graduates, a few rogue parents can do a lot of damage if they get to the point of seeking revenge. In one example, an angry parent hacked into the school’s unsecured website and inserted dancing poop emojis on all the administrator’s profile photos, while posting their jobs as available on various job sites.
An unexpected finding was that it is not desirable to try to stop parents’ progress from initial infatuation to questioning, because overly-enthusiastic new parents tend to annoy other members of the community with their relentless positivity and childish optimism. The cognitive dissonance between parents spouting the cheerful lies from the school website, and the humdrum reality of a frosty detention hall in January, sows bitterness and pushes more parents toward the later stages of disengagement.
Another ten-year Association of Imaginary Schools study is underway to identify the best ways to cultivate the desired parent attitude of mild cynicism and motivated giving. Richard E. Rich Academy already plans to use the new data to monetize discontent by identifying the stage at which parents are eager to engage with the school and using that window to connect parents with fundraising opportunities.
A case example might be encouraging the parent who calls to complain about the French teacher to fund a new Language Lab. Or the parent who is unhappy with his child’s advisor might want to donate his huge beach house on Martha’s Vineyard for a faculty retreat where maybe some of the overworked, overtaxed, underappreciated faculty could get some rest and relaxation and not be hounded night and day by entitled parents who think their precious child is the only child in the school. Please leave the key for the wine cellar and the Netflix password.
Also Read:Parent Soother Needed