Parent's Evening or Parents' Evening?

[BathTangle]

Before I make a comment to school....can you give me a justification for our school ALWAYS saying Parent's Evening, Parent's Forum etc, rather than Parents' Evening, Parents' Forum? This is repeated in every newsletter, poster, notice board etc, every week, so it is not just a random error.

I have always looked at this and felt bothered that if the Head and staff cannot get this right, how are they going to teach my DCs correct use of the apostrophe? Surely they do not run these events for just one parent??

However, before I say something, I just want to be sure! Is MY understanding incorrect? Is it an acknowledgement that many families are single-parent ones, or like me that only one of the parents can ever make the events in question?

Also, assuming that this is purely an an error, what would you say to the school?

Thanks!

[ReallyTired]

You are right, it should be parents' evening as there are multiple parents. If every child in a class of 30 is from a single parent family then you would still have 30 parents.

Strictly speaking it really should be "carer's evening" as you might have children who don't live with their parents. (Ie. in foster care)

[Janek]

It is an evening for the the parentS, therefore parents' evening. If it were for the parent then it would be parent's evening.

Likewise mothers' day. For all the mothers. I have been advertising our pta mothers' day wrap in the school newsletter. Correctly. I hope.

[chateauferret]

Unless all the kids are members of the same single-parent family their effort is bollocks.