Parents Object To Survey That Rate Students On Emotional And Behavioral Health

CARY, N.C. (CBS Local) -- Teachers in North Carolina are being asked to rate the social, emotional and behavior health of students and some parents are not happy about it.

The Wake County school system will have teachers at around 40 schools rate their students on 34 questions, The News & Observer reported, such as how often they've appeared angry, depressed, engaged in risk-taking behavior or had problems staying on task.

Some parents are refusing to give permission for teachers to conduct the surveys.

"I don't understand why they are trying to do this to the kids," said Rachael Ayscue, whose child attends Green Hope High School. "I'm frustrated."

Ayscue says she doesn't think the surveys are appropriate for schools.

"I don't think it's fair to put the teachers in the position to have to analyze the students in this way. They're educated in the curriculum that they're teaching, not in behavioral science," she told WTVD.

The survey is called the Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System or BIMAS-2. The district says it's a behavioral screener and not a formal mental health assessment.

"Our teachers are most qualified to administer this screener because they're the ones that are with our students the most and they're the ones that build relationships," said Wake County Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services Paul Koh.

Wake County school officials are assuring the information will remain confidential and reviewed internally.

"If there is a problem with the kids, we should have enough guidance counselors and people there and parents involved to do these kinds of things. Why are we taking class time and teachers to do this," said Ayscue.

The district says it is up to the individual schools to decide when to administer the surveys this fall. Officials say parents will be given adequate time to opt-out.