I got involved in a committee, and from the 12 parents on that committee, we grew to 400 in two years, says Walker. A former political organizer, Walker used those skills to benefit the Appleseed program. For one thing, the Parental Involvement Pledge. Based on similar agreements such as the contract used between teens and their parents by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the pledge has elicited an avalanche of response. The pledge is a three-part weapon against educational failings.
Parents first sign a portion of the document stating that they are committed to improving education.
Then they indicate the number of hours per semester that they are able to volunteer. Finally, they mark the areas in which they can help, be it speaking in class, helping with clerical duties, or tutoring. Michael Donovan, Appleseed s co-founder, conceived the pledge in 1993, says Walker. Not everyone was convinced that the contract would be so effective. Walker himself recalls, I wasn t sold on the idea at first.