Lake Highlands mom Dannah Bekarian had a Letter to the Editor in Sunday’s Dallas Morning News stressing the need for greater parental involvement to cure the ills of public education. Referring to a column by teacher Robert Irby, Bekarian said, “I can only imagine how disheartening it is for teachers like Irby, who are expected to transform apathetic students into academic success stories when there are absolutely no parental expectations from home.”

Bekarian, mom of three boys including one now studying at UT, decries the notion of “throwing more money into the system” to solve our economic woes. The real problem, she says, is “parents who do not demand (or even politely ask for) academic success from their children.”

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Bekarian, referring to the movie Waiting for Superman in her piece, implores parents to get involved. “Excellent teachers can and do make a world of difference in the lives of children who have no direction, but to expect them to fix a broken system by themselves is more like Waiting for a Miracle.”

Author

  • Carol Toler

    Blogger CAROL TOLER and her husband, Toby, are the parents of four LHHS graduates. She has an MBA from SMU and is the proud recipient of the Exchange Club of LH's Unsung Hero Award and Councilman McGough's Blake Anderson Public Service Award. She received LHHS PTA's Extended Service Award, FMJH PTA's Charger Award and a Life Membership from the LHFC PTA. She has moderated candidate debates for Dallas Mayor, Dallas City Council and RISD Trustee races and taught seminars on garnering publicity for nonprofits. She completed training with Dallas Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation and Inside RISD, and she's a sustaining member of LH Women's League. She has served on the boards of After8 to Educate, Dallas Free Press, Healing Hands Ministries and Camp Sweeney and chaired fundraisers for multiple Dallas nonprofits. Email ctoler@advocatemag.com.