“Take Your Father to School Day” was recently celebrated by the Pittsburgh Public Schools. We asked Pittsburghers about its lasting effect. Here’s what you said:
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RONDA HODGE, JEROME JACKSON and CHRIS RICHARDSON
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“I think it will for some kids; the male being a positive role model in the family, bringing it back to where it needs to be.”
Ronda Hodge
Duquesne
Medical assistant
“I believe it will, because children who see their parents involved in their education do much better in school. When a father goes to school with his child it shows his involvement and as I said, the children do better. I think it should be a lasting program and we should make sure that it continues on.”
Jerome Jackson
North Side
Executive director Manchester Better Block
“Yes. He was (my son) very happy that I took of. I was there for him for about three hours. It was fantastic. He was very proud I was there because there were other kids that didn’t have their fathers there. I felt sorry for them.”
Chris Richardson
Brookline
Children’s Hospital
“If he’s really active in the child’s life it can have an impact. If he’s giving the kid instructions, raising the kid properly. If he just went for that day and that’s it then wait until next year, no. (It shows) what type of person they are, if they are a positive role model or a negative role model.”
Ron Manuel
Mt. Oliver
Computer tech
“It should be a semi-annual event to make sure that fathers, especially Black men, are assuming the position of fatherhood in the truest of sense and supporting their children in education. When we first started in Northview there might have been 20 fathers now it’s over 100. The word is being spread, the spirit is on point, and I would say it’s definitely making a positive impact.”
Keith Murphy
McKeesport
Executive Director Bethany House Academy
“Absolutely. We hear too often about the negative things in communities with the absence of fathers. I think, number one, it shows that not all children are absent of either fathers or even male role models. I think that we need to do more things to show positively the influence, especially when we’re talking about Black males. I think it will have a positive effect, I don’t think you can go wrong with that.”
Darlene Figgs
Stanton Heights
Teacher
(Compiled by Gail Manker.)
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