“They only phoned when there where trouble” : Parents- and adults experience of parental co-operation with school

Abstract: The purpose with this study is to investigate the experiences some adult Romans have of co-operation between Romani parents and school. The study is based on interviews and has been inspired of critical ethnography and hermeneutic theories. What views have the Romani adults and parents on parental co-operation with school? Which strategy do they see as a practical way for improved parental co-operating with school? The study show that the Romani parents who participated in this study do want a very close co-operation and have used strategies of open communication and giving suggestion on how to co-operate with the schools. One of the informants has had the opportunity to give an in-dept interview and this gives an example of a more diversified picture of the Romani parental patterns in relation to school. The adult Ro-mani group that has been interviewed thinks that a close co-operation with school is very im-portant. One suggestion of improvement from the interviewers is teacher-assistans to improve the schools parental co-operation. There where also suggestions that educational efforts of the school is needed for all students and to include knowledge about who the Romani people are and about their history, culture and language. Some of the parents even showed examples of giving suggestions to teachers to increase the contact by writing in a dairy for each student. The parents in this study also reports of institutionalized antigypsyism and discrimination. In that view the in-dept interview gives an explanation to why the co-operation is believed to be so crucial. There is a fear that the public authorities in somewhat way would hurt the Romani children.