I am a parent of a student now in school, but I am also a lawyer who has been involved in student advocacy for a long time.  I have represented children as a GAL and as a criminal defendent representative.  I have represented students and parents trying to get special education services through the school system.  It is a heartache to see the disrespect that these children have for school.  I also taught special education in the southwest Virginia school systems.  I know how the system works.  There are many good teachers, but there are a lot of teachers who just put in their time.  The attitude in the school is not one of pride of the students and encouragement.  At graduation the pricinpal does not stand up and say we have X going to this college, X going to service, X going to this voc training.  There is no encouragement to reach beyound where they are.  The guidance counselors encourage the kids to just go to community college.  The community college system is wonderful and a valuable resource for us all, but there are some fine opportunities in a lot of insititutions that the students are not informed about.  Caring about the students being in school would go a long way by teaching supporting the students about the importance and life satisfying experience of being in school on a regular bases.  School should be the haven and I find it is not very often that.  I am relatively middle class and with all three of my children, I have had to confront the apathy of the school system towards my children on a daily bases.  I think by having the school report unexcused absenses would bring to their attention the seriousness of the problem.  If thy know someone is going to ask why the unexcused absences then they will ask themselves that question.  I also think that education for teachers and administrators for child care motivation would also help keep kids in school.  Teacher training would help teachers and administrators learn how to reach students so that they are more motivated.  I have been given clear cues on many occassions that the school does not want parents involved.  This attitude needs to be addressed.  I have several skills and have offerred to help in every classroom my children have been in.  My oldest is 38 and my youngest is 15.  I have never yet been asked to help in a class unless I just insist that I am going to be there.  Many community resources and parents need to be in the schools and involved to help in developing this motivation.  The teachers and staff need to see themselves as partners with parents not the enemy. I have heard many teacher express this type of lack of appreciation for parents.  I was always amazed when the finger regarding the inability to read was always pointed at parents.  This was because, I wondered who failed to teach that parent.  Head Start has a wonderful model for parent involvement, but research shows that those skills and involvement stops after the Head Start student reaches the third grade.  Head Start works with parents where they are.  They help them become better educated parents, why does the school system not do this?Sue Ella Kobak