By Shirley Wilson
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

You are having a mid-term exam review at UH-Clear Lake. Your child is home because of an earache. Should you miss out on a critical review or take your child with you to class?

Students faced with child care emergencies make these decisions every day. Parents bring children with them to classes in emergencies when allowed by the instructor; yet there are other times when children are found waiting alone in the hallways or library.

Recently, a 5-year-old boy was left alone in the hallway; his parent was in class. Nina Perez, executive secretary for student services, saw the boy and worried about him being alone. So, she took the boy to her office where she watched him for more than one hour until the parent returned. Nina said the boy went with her without any objection and probably would have gone with anyone.

"The child was not fearful about going with me," Perez said.

Darlene Biggers, associate vice president and dean of students, expressed concern about instances when children are left alone by their parents in hallways or the library.

"We all like to think our home or workplace is safe, but each day we read in the newspaper that children are taken from their bed, school or even church," Biggers said. "We want to eliminate that possibility from occurring at the university."

Biggers also said some faculty members have noticed that the number of instances where children are accompanying a parent to class is increasing.

Lt. Derrell Means, university police, has not experienced a case yet where a child has been harmed on campus. However, Means says crime depends on three elements to occur - desire, target and opportunity.

"Parents have to realize that crime does exist and not to become complacent," Means said.

Means offered the following safety advice for parents:
* Never leave a child unattended.
* Fingerprint children for identification.
* Ensure that children have with them their full name and home address.
* Keep current photos of children. Amber Alert, a new law, notifies police departments across the United States within seconds when a child is missing or abducted. Photos are scanned and transmitted for identification.

Many at UH-Clear Lake face conflicting roles as parent, worker, spouse and student on a day-to-day basis.

Debra Cooper, history major, said she has had to bring her children into the classroom with her every semester because of holidays or emergencies.

Todameka Boudreaux, vice president of the student government association, said she rarely brings her child to class although she did during spring break.

"I saw more than one mother with children in class that week," Boudreaux said.

Cindy Fuson, sociology major, said she seldom brings her children to school because her sister usually helps out during emergencies. Fuson hates missing class, but says school can be a challenge.

"When you're a single parent, you stretch yourself when you have to go to school, work and take care of children," Fuson said.

Biggers said the university takes a liberal, flexible approach to child care emergencies. She added that the instructor has a responsibility to maintain a conducive learning environment. Consequently, the professor has the right to ask the parent and child to leave if the class is being disrupted or the content is inappropriate.

"The overall philosophy of higher education is that the classroom is the prerogative of the faculty member," Biggers said. "There is a lot of freedom that the faculty member has regarding teaching methods and judgment. While I've heard of faculty members who allow students to bring children in emergency situations, I am not aware of any who allow it on a routine basis every week."

Shirley Paolini, professor of humanities, has had instances where children were in class.

"I don't have a problem if it is a real emergency situation," Paolini said. "However, if the child could not be quiet or behave, then I would ask that student with the child to leave because it would not be fair to other students."

On the other hand, Paolini says that it is not the best situation because the parent is often distracted with the child in class. She added that class material might not always be suitable for children. In those cases, the parent should remove the child if they believe that something is inappropriate visually or content wise.

UH-Clear Lake continues to research child care options on the campus. Biggers said that child care on campus would be studied again this year. "I think what students want is the convenience of a child care center on campus that would cost less than the surrounding businesses," Biggers said. "That's the dilemma, we need to find a cost effective way."

There are a few child care centers in Clear Lake that allow drop-ins and are open late. The Student Life Office, room B1602, has a list of local child care centers for parents to research.

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