Major Owens: “The question is, ``Why didn't you send a letter to the parents to come to this one important meeting per year in the…”

“The question is, ``Why didn't you send a letter to the parents to come to this one important meeting per year in the mail?'' ``We didn't have the postage,'' the principal says. ``Why didn't you have the postage?'' You know, out of the chapter 1, title I funds, surely we can provide enough postage to notify the parents once a year that their all-important advisory committee meeting is taking place. Their perception is that the parents are not important, and there are numerous other situations where a little bit of attention, a little bit of money expended to encourage parents to participate would reap a great benefit. The problem is, if you are not committed to it, you always find the excuse of not spending the money for it. But no school administrator and no superintendent in all the hearings that I have attended--quite a number--would admit that they were not spending at least 1 percent. ... I do not understand. There is a contradiction.…”