While, as a religious school administrator, my first reflex upon seeing the title of this article was "yay, finally somebody who will say it out loud!", upon further reflection, it's a rather simplistic, perhaps even naive and dangerous view.
http://blog.beliefnet.com/virtualtalmud/2007/11/the-parents.html
We do need the parents to be more active and enthusiastic, no doubt. and yes, I do believe that Jewish education in supplemental schools has gotten better. "We're not your parents' (or grandparents') religious school" Yet to simply lay the blame solely at the feet of parents is to abrogate responsibility. We must involve all stakeholders in solving this problem. And we all do share some of the blame.
Parents must be involved, must be insistent, and willing if supplemental Jewish education is to work. If they are not, is it entirely their fault? Of that I am not sure.
Yes, I wish more parents would place greater emphasis on spiritual nourishment for their children than on soccer. If they are not, is that their failing, or ours?
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