Dads can be rock stars at school

It's easy to be cynical about absentee fathers,  but watching men come to school with their kids Monday morning was inspiring.

Jamison Smith with nephew and son

"You have to be in a child's life,  especially in school,"  said Rahim Nash,  who brought his 9-year-old son Arkivius to Allenbrook Elementary.  Nash said his own father never showed up at school,  but he wants things to different for his son.

"Both parents need to be involved,"  agreed Michael Strong,  who brought 7-year-old Donovon even though he knew he'd have to rush to get to work across town.

The  "Million Father March"  movement focuses on low-income minority communities,  where dads are more likely to be missing from the family and academic struggles are endemic. Project LIFT,  which made a big push to get men into schools on Monday,  serves that kind of community.

But I'm willing to bet schools from Cornelius to Ballantyne would like to see more dads in schools.  Women still tend to take the lead role in parenting and school volunteer work,  regardless of race or income.  And whether we like it or not,  that means men get extra attention from the kids when they show up to have lunch or read with a student.  A male presence at school sends a message  --  and it's a very different one than kids get from pop culture.

It can be tough for working parents,  male or female,  to break away during school hours.  But think of it this way:  Where else can you count on being looked up to,  literally and figuratively?

Anthony Gardner documents his daughter's first day

(These photos are shot by Jeff Siner; click here to see the Observer's "back to school" slide show.)

Calling dads for first day of school

Project LIFT hopes to join the Million Father March in a big way,  summoning fathers and male stand-ins to walk 7,500 students to school Monday morning.

The march is an effort led by the Chicago-based Black Star Project,  designed to boost academic achievement among African American and Latino students by getting fathers involved in their education. This won't be the first time local groups and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools parents have taken part, but LIFT has extra money and energy behind the push.

Parent engagement is a key part of the five-year, $55 million quest to turn around West Charlotte High and its eight feeder schools.  Those schools have high poverty levels and a large number of students being raised by single moms or grandmothers,  so Project LIFT is also recruiting local fraternities and members of Men Who Care Global and 100 Black Men of Charlotte to escort students on the first day.  While the first-day walk is symbolic,  the real goal is lasting involvement by fathers and male mentors.

LIFT staffer Christian Friend posted on the project blog about the impact of having a loving but distant father and losing him too early.  "For years I resented by father," he writes.  "I resented not having more time with him. I resented the lack of attention and emotion I got from my father. As I approach 40, I really appreciate my father.  ...  His work allowed him to provide a great life for my brother and I. More importantly than that, my father blessed me immensely because I did see him and I knew he loved me.

Click here to read more about the Project LIFT effort or to register.  Of course,  dads at any school can take part by showing up with their child on Monday  --  and staying involved afterward.