Power and Privilege

It is well known that students’ academic achievement levels increase with increasing levels of parent involvement (e.g., Lara and Saracostti, 2019). Yet, is there a point where parent involvement can become harmful instead of helpful? This is a question I began to ask myself as I read through the interviews of students who attend the Croft School – an extremely elite, private school located in Chile. Throughout the interviews, I noticed a prevalent theme of parents dominating school policies and practices in negative ways. In elite settings, such as one like the Croft School, parents hold an incredible amount of power – so much so that their dominance influences teacher behavior and dictates if/when the school gets involved in certain student disciplinary actions. For example, in one interview, Alejandro (a student at the Croft School) described the overall lack of empathy and kindness that teachers have for students. Alejandro reveals that “I think it’s the pressure from the school. I think that most of the time the teachers work out of fear of being punished or to come into a lawsuit. Because a couple of years ago there was a couple of lawsuits.” Teachers live in fear of the extreme power that their students’ parents have and it deeply affects their interactions and behaviors with the students. 

Furthermore, in a later interview, Alejandro elaborates that the main way the school intervenes in disciplinary cases is “mostly if parents get involved… then [the school] will get involved.” It does not matter if the incident happens on school property or not – if the parents get involved, then the school jumps into action. The interviewer follows up Alejandro’s statement by asking “ So parents you think are really important in terms of getting what they want for their kids?” to which Alejandro responds with “Yes, they’re too powerful.” The fact that students are aware of the extreme control that parents have in the school highlights just how severe the power balance is within the education system. 

Instances like these are not isolated to the Croft School. Over-involvement and helicopter parenting is a pervasive issue throughout elite schools around the world. Researchers have begun to study the negative consequences of overparenting.  For example, 16 to 28 year-old students who reported having highly-protective parents were more likely to have low levels of self-efficacy – the trust that people have in their own abilities and skills – and poor relationships with their peers (van Ingen et al., 2015). Additionally, young people who reported having over-involved parents experienced higher levels of depression and stress, less satisfaction with life, as well as less ability to regulate their emotions. They also reported a higher sense of entitlement, and increased drug use than young people with less involved parents (LeMoyne & Buchanan, 2011). 

While parent involvement is typically seen as a positive reinforcement for students, it is important to take a step back and realize that over-parenting is a serious factor affecting more than just student achievement. The actions and behaviors of elite, overbearing parents have the power to influence not just their individual child but the entire school system including teachers, administrators, and overall school policy.

Sources

 Lara, L. & Saracostti, M. (2019). Effect of Parental Involvement on Children’s Academic Achievement in Chile. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01464 

Van Ingen, D., Freiheit, S., Steinfeldt, J. & Moore, L. (2015). Helicopter Parenting: The Effect of an Overbearing Caregiving Style on Peer Attachment and Self-Efficacy. Journal of College Counseling, 18. doi: 10.1002/j.2161-1882.2015.00065.x 

LeMoyne, T. & Buchanan, T. (2011). Does “hovering” matter? Helicopter parenting and its effect on well-being. Sociological Spectrum, 31(4), 399-418, doi: 10.1080/02732173.2011.574038