Back to school is here, much to children’s dismay and parents’ delight. If you are going through a divorce or family law matter, get to know your children’s teachers, assignments, grades and extracurricular activities. While you should be doing this regardless of your relationship status, it is especially important to be in the know when you have a pending family law case.
Joint legal custody allows parties to share in the educational decisions for the minor children, and requires them to agree on what school the kids attend and programs they participate in. Even if you don’t have joint legal custody, MCL 722.30 provides for the noncustodial parent to have access to educational records so he or she can maintain involvement, unless the parent is prohibited due to a protective order.
Keeping up to date on your child’s education is important for several reasons. The first is obvious – you need to ensure your kids are being provided a good education that meets them at their unique level of development, so they can become thriving members of society. While I don’t know any parents that love parent-teacher conferences, consistent involvement with your child’s educator helps address learning or behavioral issues that may be happening. The last thing you want in court is to hear allegations of issues at school, and you know nothing about them.
Second, your involvement in their homework, conferences and grades paints a picture of who you are as a parent and helps the court determine whether joint legal custody is appropriate. In fact, one of the best interests factors codified in MCL 722.23, involves the child’s school and community history.
Third, knowing your child’s school schedule and breaks are crucial in creating a successful parenting time schedule. Each year students have multiple records days, professional development and other random days off, and you can request that those be assigned to you for additional parenting time or you can divide them between you and the other party. Most holiday breaks include several days before and after the actual holiday which can be shared between the parties. For parents who live out of state or a significant distance from the children’s primary residence, these extra days can provide opportunities for increasing parenting time. It’s also an opportunity to extend weekend time as these extra days off often fall on a Friday or Monday.
Last, the more involved you are in any aspect of your children’s lives shows that you are trying to co-parent. Maybe you and the other party can trade off conferences and party signups, or better yet, attend them together. Showing your children that their parents are a united front will set them up for success.
