Sounds crazy, but parents of students in Damion Frye’s ninth-grade Montclair, NJ, English class have homework too. The New York Times writes about assignments that range from commentary on a Franz Kafka story to Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” to a speech by Robert F. Kennedy. And if the dog eats your homework, it could cost your student.

Surprisingly, most parents are very supportive and appreciate the opportunity to be more involved in their teen’s learning. Even the parents who complain think Mr. Frye is one of the best teachers.

Some parents say they like the assignments because they can spark intellectual conversation with teenagers who are normally less than communicative. “Searching for meaning in literary works is like stretching brain-cell-taffy in this household of literal interpretations and men of few words.”

Another parent commented:

“I take it as giving back to the teacher what he is apparently giving to our kids, a lot of attention and a lot of requirements.”

What would it take to get you to do some homework?