ABSTRACT
This chapter explores through the narratives of six families that learns how parents seek out school information, homework help, successful family members, and educational opportunities for their children. Rural parents prefer to seek out with people with whom they felt most comfortable and through preexisting networks, even the school principal. However, when parents engaged with their peers, their social position did not appear to limit their interactions with school personnel. However, findings indicate that rural parents interacted with people with whom they were most familiar and comfortable, regardless of position. It is interesting to note that rural parents go to the schools visibly to talk with the principal, but this type of involvement is invisible to their child's teacher. Similarly, family interactions were invisible to teachers. These interactions served as great sources of information, motivation, support, and also reflected the value that parents placed on education and provide much of the backbone for social mobility for rural families.
