Some Korean parents’ behavior is having a negative effect on the climate in their children’s schools.
Those close to the Parent’s Association said that excessive gift-giving and ostentatious help with school programs is causing discomfort among the majority of parents and school teachers, and harming their image of Korean parents.
When a teacher receives more than $20 as a gift, the money must be reported to school authorities. Some Korean mothers, though, are ignoring this rule, and giving teachers $100 in cash or gift certificates. Further, a mother’s group asked students to pay $100—each—for gifts for a teacher. Some American parents are losing sympathy for Korean parents.
Some Korean mothers whose children have problems in school or do not have good relationships with their teachers, do not discuss these situations with the school’s principal (the usual route). Instead, they often visit the teacher directly with an offer of gifts or money to try to solve the problems, ignoring the school’s policies and customs.
One member of the Korean-American Parent’s Association deplores the situation. “We received inquiries from American teachers, asking us how to deal with the issue of $100 gifts from Korean parents. The excessive actions by some Korean mothers, who simply don’t know American customs or American culture, are giving the teachers the wrong impression—that the Korean character is excessive,” he said.
When a school holds an annual event, American parents will bring food that they made themselves to show their sincerity through their homemade products. Some Korean parents, though, order large amounts of catered food to be delivered. These actions are creating poor relationships among the parents.
A Bayside resident, Mrs. P., said, “Because of the excessive over-reactions by some Korean mothers, American teachers are getting a negative impression of us as a race. We must be concerned with our children’s schooling, but because of the students’ low English ability, Korean parents are forming the wrong kind of relationship with the schools. This is simply wrong,” she stressed.
