Posted on 10/08/2005 4:39:30 AM PDT by Gordon Pym
Netherlands court bans complaining mom
Copyright © 2005 AP Online This story was published Friday, October 7th, 2005
The Associated Press
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) - A woman in the Netherlands has been banned from any contact with her daughter's school or teachers after complaining too much, a court ruled Friday.
The woman, whose name was not released, "overloaded" the Borgh Elementary School in the northern city of Zuidhorn "with an incessant stream of questions, comments and complaints," a panel of judges at the Groningen District Court wrote in their judgment.
"For causing an illegal hindrance ... she will be barred from approaching the school or the school area for a year, and forbidden from addressing the school, educators or the board in any way other than as specified in the verdict," the judges said.
The woman's complaints ranged from treatment of her daughter - described as "highly gifted" - to disagreements about curriculum, method of teaching and the safety of the school.
In the 2004-2005 school year, the woman sent 50 e-mails and 20 letters to the school, and came nine times to visit.
She also wrote 29 letters to the school board and others "to the National Complaint Commission, the Labor Inspection Service, the Educational Inspection Service, the Queen's representative and the media," the judgment said.
In the future, the woman will be allowed to submit complaints to the school on a single page of paper once a month, the court ruled.
Do they want the parents to be involved only when they agree with the school?
Don't get me wrong, This mom sounds like she's a little nuts, but you have to wonder about attitudes here. If the school really wants to teach or "process" the students without interference from peon parents.
It didn't say how many phone calls she made or how many times she berated school officials out at, say the grocery store. Sounds beyond nuts if it had to go to court.
The school exists as a dodge to provide selected individuals cash and a pension at the publics expense. Educating kids is secondary. Answering concerns from the public, is not in their contract.
That's certainly one possible explanation.But,given that The Netherlands is one of the most unapologetically left wing countries on earth,is it possible that the woman just had a serious problem with her daughter being taught left wing garbage,or that she was being taught by "affirmative action" candidates that didn't know the first thing about what they were teaching?
Hmmmm, I imagine the cultured Euro-trash do not allow homeschooling!!!
If they go 180 days over 9 mos like here, she really only sent an e-mail every 3 days and visited once a month. From the info given, she sounds like a concerned parent who doesn't fully trust the teachers. Why should she? She has a right to do what she did.
I think the untold story is the real story. Like others have said, how many phone calls, etc, but from what i can read here, she's justified
I'm not sure about every country but the ones I've heard of, homeschooling is near impossible. Nice though, pay taxes, have to send YOUR child and not be allowed near the place. They never mentioned whether whe got any responses to her letters and e-mails. Could be she had a legitmate concern if her correspondence was unanswered, although it does sound a bit overboard.
damn parents....caring about their kids..n stuff...like ya know...education iz impotant!!
If you have to hire some of the yahoos coming out of school these days...
"UGH!"
*shakes head and walks off*
Is it legal???
I guarantee that if she did home school for about 6 months, she would be a lot less apt to complain
Probably right up until the point they become a total distraction from the work at hand.
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=72&story_id=579&name=Guide+to+the+Dutch+education+system
According to this site, most Dutch kids go to private school, 'the majority of which are Roman Catholic or Protestant'...or that '30%' attend public school.
Also, the school year runs from Sept. 4 thru early, mid, late July, depending on area of the country.
like ya know...education iz impotant!!
Ewe shold hav uzed spel chek... Its "impotent"
I guess Natalie Hollaway's Mom is in big trouble.
Of course she's only complaining to the Dutch gov't that her daughter was gang raped and murdered.
LOL!
I guess not in the Netherlands.
Too much of a good thing?
The short answer is yes, and it's prevalent here in the States, too. My son had a principal who would run into the boy's bathroom when he saw me in the hall . . . .LOL.
Has our friend Mrs. M. moved to Europe?
Ouch!
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