That is really sad... Unfortunately some parents for what ever reason are just not what others think of as "good" parents. I don't know of too many parents who tell their child to throw the contents of the folder away without even looking at it. Talk about no encouraging words for efforts well done while at school! That poor boy and his self esteem!
When I first saw this thread title, it reminded me of a situation I have and I thought I would share. What our parents did with us, is reflected in what we do with our own children...
When I was a little kid in grade school, my mother would sit down with me and the books and make me read. Of course, she couldn't make me read. I was a stubborn child. Anyway the memory is painful and I hate reading especially out loud and I hate that my mother was so insistant that I read out loud to her. Her manner was not one that made you want to do anything for her, I would sit there mouth shut tight and not utter a sound -- this would go on for as long as it took my mother to get discussed enough to send me to my room. I feel like I spent the majority of my childhood and teen years in my room if my mother was around.
Given that childhood memory, I find it extremely difficult to comply with the recommendation to read to your children. I never read to my 1st born until he was almost 3 and even then only after he asked me to, I never initiate reading a story to him or his siblings. We have tons of childrens books and adult books in the house, so it isn't as if I don't have these things. A lot of the books were my children's books growing up and they are in really good shape you can imagine.
Has it harmed him, no, I shared this story with my MIL and asked her if she would read to my children. She had been up until she fell ill about 5 mo ago.
Fortunately, I was smart enough to send him to a montessori school at age 2 1/2 and they don't make children fit the mold of "everyone reads at 5". However, he was reading a month after my 3rd child was born at age 5. Since I don't read to him often, it was shocking to discover one day him reading something by himself. He is a very good reader and has excellent phonics skills.
He now attends public school and is in 1st grade, he reads to me! He has little books he brings home at least 2X a week and he has to read them to someone and usually it's me. I am very involved in this b/c I do not want a bad memory to affect my child more than it already has. He enjoys this more than I do, but I smile and help him with sounding out the words he stumbles on.
So, it is wise not to quickly judge this mother. She may not be able to read, maybe she is mentally ill, or just has issues. It is sad when parents don't take some active role in their childs education. I personally look forward to his folder everyday to see what he has done and what he is learning! I have to beg him to bring it over to the table for us to look at together. I couldn't imagine crushing his self-worth by telling him just dump it in the can implying I don't care, I don't have time or don't want to see it.
Maybe you can be a positive influence in this little boys life. Give him complements and praise when due, he probably doesn't get any at home. You go Mama
: Sometimes we need more details before we judge.
They were feeding him snacks and cafeteria lunches and confronted us about it! 
So not all that pops out of the mouths of babes is based in reality. It might be wise to take the trash comment with a little grain of salt.
