After four years at ETHS, I am sure all of us are very aware of the ETHS Parents and Guardians Facebook page, where our parents choose to argue over the many flaws in the community without even asking their children how they feel. Oftentimes, seeing the arguments between parents is funny to me, but the conversations end badly and the problems remain unresolved.

If unknown to you, the ETHS Parents and Guardians Facebook page is used as a source for parents to post about the school, where they seek advice on certain things going on in the school or with their family life. You can also find posts about successes of students, staff and administration that might not be found at first glance on the ETHS website.

This school year has had many unknowns from the beginning. Starting with the summer, ETHS talked about a potential hybrid school schedule, but this was quickly shut down and parents fled to Facebook searching for answers. The overwhelming opinions really caused uproar in the Evanston community. As the school year continued, ETHS left us with very little information on what would be happening for seniors. A lot had gone unknown because, in all honesty, the school didn’t know what was going to happen. ETHS parents on Facebook were quick to criticize the administration.

Although information shouldn’t have been withheld, it was often made apparent parents really didn’t know what was going on. The ETHS parent page spreads information that isn’t always true or correct and causes a lot of information that is spread around the town quickly.

Another ongoing issue with the arguing is that a majority of the people active in the group are white parents. Not only is this a lack of voice for Black families, but when Black parents advocate with their opinions, it is often frowned upon by many of the white parents. Black families raise their children differently than white families, and the different opinions between the two may be something that white families complain about. It is wrong for white families to assume that a possible difference between their family dynamic can be different to a family of color.

The ETHS Parents and Guardians Facebook page really causes a lot of problems within the parents’ community, it makes it hard for parents to actually get parenting advice and most of the page continues to be criticism of the community versus an uplifting community to help and advise. Not only this, but it makes it hard for many families
to feel supported when they are unsure and new to the high school and Evanston community. To the parents, I can promise you that sometimes it is better to ask your own kids how they feel about what is happening before you go and post or argue with each other about it. The Facebook page was made for parents to learn from the school, not to be criticized for their opinions.

Instead of thinking you are the right parent, maybe that means you should try to reflect on your own parenting just because it differs from another parent.