The Role of Parents as Educational and Social Partners of Schools in the Czech Republic: Legislation and Media Analysis

Abstract

The article presents results of the first stage of a three year research project on the role of parents as educational and social partners of the school in the Czech Republic. Basic questions are: What does the school consider parents to be and how is their position defined in the legislature? To what extent are parents influenced in their attitudes to school by the reflection of the contemporary school in the media? The methodological frame of this study includes application of the existing theoretical framework and methods like content analysis of the school legislature and documents, and analysis of selected media. Such analyses focus on how information about schools and school system is presented to parents and the general public. As far as legislative conditions are concerned, the results indicate that they do not define precisely parents' position towards the school and therefore it is only up to the good will of both sides — parents and teachers — to create their own definitions. As far as the media context is concerned, the picture presented by media is rather unfavourable towards school issues and teachers in particular which could make interactions between the school and parents not an easy matter.