BY B.G. GREGG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
One year after Cincinnati's Parental Responsibility Act was passed and parenting classes were set up for parents whose children were repeatedly in trouble, only 10 people have been forced to take the classes.
But more than 200 have volunteered to take the course, and most think the $169,000 the city has spent on the classes so far has gone to good use.
"Whether people are directed or go on their own, there is merit to the classes," said Councilman Todd Portune.
The city of Cincinnati recently agreed to spend $264,000 on the Strengthening Parents Program this year.
The program was established to help parents whose children have been arrested three or more times. But the 13-week parenting course, offered by Family Service of the Cincinnati Area, has become popular with parents who are simply looking to improve their parenting skills.
"By taking this class, they might not ever be in a position where they are forced to take the class," said Jenny Duytschaever, program coordinator. "Prevention is the biggest thing."
Since May 1997, when the law went into effect, 53 parents have been cited, but only 10 cases have made it through the court process and reached the point when judges have sentenced parents to the classes.
Another course begins Wednesday, and it will contain 12 parents mandated by the court to take the classes.
According to the law, parents must keep drugs and firearms out of the child's possession, and prevent the child from destroying property, stealing or assaulting others. Three such offenses, and the parent is cited.
Organizers expect more people to be forced into the classes as the law gets older and gives more kids more time to rack up offenses. "Everybody had a clean slate when the law was passed, so it will take some time," Ms. Duytschaever said.
The curriculum focuses on creating special relationships with children, establishing family rules, disciplining children and other aspects of parenting.
The program also deals with ethnic and cultural roots, family and community violence and the causes contributing to a child's positive or negative behavior.
Class facilitators say the first class of parents forced to take the course started out a little different.
"The first week, we met with great resistance because they simply did not want to be there," Karen Gentry said. "When they found out it was 13 weeks, they completely shut down."
That's no surprise to Eric Smoot, a police officer in the Cincinnati Police Division's Youth Services Section who is responsible for citing the parents for violating the parenting law.
"They react like any parent would," he said. "It sounds like you are saying, "You're a bad parent.' We try not to send that message because it may or may not be true."
But, he said, after the initial anger, many are happy for help with raising a difficult child.
"Some of them will thank me," he said. "I've had more positive reaction than negative."
The same is true with the classes, Ms. Gentry said. After a few weeks of learning and talking about their problems, the parents' attitudes change and they begin to enjoy the program.
At the end of the course containing the first group of mandated parents, some cried that it was over and others attended a dinner to celebrate their graduation, Ms. Gentry said.
"There is magic that happens in these programs," she said. "It is almost like an invisible surgery goes on."
Pam Carter, 29, is one parent who was ordered to take the classes. She is a Westwood mother whose 11-year-old daughter was caught fighting.
Ms. Carter said she was reluctant to go to the classes, but she was willing to learn.
"I pretty much raised my daughter in the ways they were talking about," she said. "I learned to be more patient.
"I think every parent, even if (your children) don't get in trouble, you should have to take the class. If you're thinking about having a child, you might want to do this. It is very enlightening. If it doesn't do anything else, it lets you know you are on the right track."
