Almost everyone has an opinion about child care, education, and the educational system.
In comparison to students abroad, American students are currently far behind. Why?To finally express her viewpoint, a retired teacher penned this letter to the local newspaper.
I felt it was very on point, but please read it for yourself and let us know if you disagree or not!
The teacher wrote:
“As a retired teacher, I am sick of people who know nothing about public schools or have not been in a classroom recently deciding how to fix our education system.
The teachers are not the problem! Parents are the problem! They are not teaching their children manners, respect or even general knowledge of how to get along with others.
The children come to school in shoes that cost more than the teacher’s entire outfit, but have no pencil or paper. Who provides them? The teachers often provide them out of their own pockets.
When you look at schools that are “failing,” look at the parents and students. Do parents come to parent nights? Do they talk with teachers regularly? Do they make sure their children are prepared by having the necessary supplies? Do they make sure their children do their homework?
Do they have working telephone numbers? Do the students take notes in class? Do they do their homework? Do the students listen in class, or are they the sources of class disruptions?
When you look at these factors, you will see that it is not schools that are failing but the parents. Teachers cannot do their jobs and the parents’ job. Until parent step up and do their job, nothing is going to get better!”
Do you agree with this former teacher’s opinions?
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Nailed it!! I have taught preschool for 30 years & the changes over the years have been awful! Children who have no manners is one thing, but 4 year olds who do not listen or follow class routines hurt the learning environment for everyone! Parents it is time to do the hard job of parenting! Do your part. You are setting your children up for a life full of problems!
I do agree with her, but she is not telling the whole story. In addition to all the things she mentions, there are also problems with the schools and the subjects they are teaching. Yes, today’s parents are more concerned with their own lives than their children’s. They buy the kids all those things so they will not bother them. But then, the teachers get in class and try to destroy American History, try to teach kids that gender is fluid (it is not). Kids today are so damn confused by what adults are teaching them, it is no wonder they are causing problems. Wake up parents; the ball is your court; now take it and do what needs to be done.
Totally agree! Thank you!!!!
I agree with the retired teachers. I work within law enforcement, not as an officer, I call it feral people raising feral children.
Yes kids nowadays are disrespectful, uncaring little brats. I see the way kids treat there parents in public places and parents are either to scared to punish them or just don’t care. You can blame that on the government.
I worked as an LSW in CPS as a parent coach. Too many parents saw name brand clothing & big screen televisions as necessities. Could not or refused to learn was I was trying to teach about successful child rearing.
Absolutely! I am a retired teacher and I have the same thought.
This retired teacher has it hands down 99%. And what makes it more confusing is that some of these children are teachers child. Other teachers know there are bad teachers. But it’s still the parents job to find out. But regardless it can only be done in a respectful way. But my opinion is that a child that shows no respect to a teacher, shows none to a parent.
The teacher is correct. But, someone needs to help parents too.
I agree cell phones are the school now which does not teach you manners, not all would straighten out with an ass whooping but a lot of them would, raised with no discipline or respect for their elders.
My wife is a former teacher and this dear lady is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! Bravo! It’s not the teacher’s job to teach manners and proper behavior. It’s the parents’ responsibility to send their kids to school each day ready to learn. The ones who disrupt the classroom adversely affect those who want to learn.
Totally agree. If I had not had parents who insisted that my homework be done before any fun time, I don’t know where I’d be. If my parents hadn’t taught me manners and respect for my elders, I can only imagine the kind of person I would have become. And believe me if I had not listened to them and learned, I would have been held accountable by them. Parents have a responsibility and a good many of them are not living up to it. I think this teacher nailed it.
Certainly she is right! How can you teach a group of students who could care less if they learn or not.
Her comments are on point. I agree that there are parents who don’t know how to parent, especially when their kids get older, allowing them to make their own decisions. It’s sad that the teacher has to be a parent when the parents fail, and also an educator. We need d to do better.
To the point! Parents do not know how to teach their children how to behave because they do not know how to behave themselves.
I definitely do agree . Just look at the kids behavior outside of school too !
It’s horrible !!!!
I have worked as a school Nurse and have seen first hand entitles parents and children.
It all begins at home . Teachers are to teach academics not behavior . Teachers should not be attacked for trying to teach by parents or children.
WHAT SHE WRITES IS SO PAINFULLY TRUE I CANNOT IMAGINE A SINGLE DISSENT. GOOD MANNERS AND GOOD STUDY HABITS WERE INSTILLED AT MY HOME WITH NO ROOM FOR DISCUSSION, THANK YOU MOM AND DAD!
The public schools did not have this problem before bussing children out of their neighborhoods to integrate the schools. Most people live in a neighborhood where there is a good school district. These parents pay higher taxes and in my opinion deserve to send their children to schools that meet their expectations (e.g
discipline, graduating knowing how to read, write, do math problems, American history, etc.) The teachers have no control in the classroom anymore. It’s disgraceful what America’s public schools have become! The US government should poll public school teachers. They will be shocked at what is going on in the classrooms!
I agree, parents need to be involved with their students education!!
Also, need to clean up college and universities that turn out teachers and parents that do not have true American Values. Education does start at home.
Right on point
Absolutely, I agree! Enough said!
I do not! Taught elementary grades for 34 years. The problem is and has been President Bush’s NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND act. Testing kids, grading kids is not the answer. It tells too many, You’re not smart enough! It’s time to help care takers develop a positive attitude about education. Classrooms must become communities that help students. We were almost there when how learning takes place was underway in class rooms. Then the test and grade took over. We need to bring books back about learning for teachers and introduce great literature appropriate to their age back in school. School should be fun, allow kids to make choices about their own learning. We were close when Frank Smith and others were leading the way. Then here comes Bush’s theory of testing and we lost our way.
I too am a newly retired teacher.
Much of what she says here IS true, however, not ALL parents. Many are involved and do attend parent meetings. Having a good respectful relationship with parents as a teacher is a BIG part of the job I found over 41 years. MOST parents WANT what’s best for their child. MOST parents welcome help and ideas and want to oartner w/ teacher and school to help their child together. Of course there’s a few who are difficult. Probably they themselves had poor parenting, as well. I found REALLY listening to a parent and hearing what they had to say, was half the battle. If they felt heard, they were more inclined to oartner w/ me. I miss the kids and the parents from my teaching career. Many lifelong friendships happened and I’m grateful! 😊
She hit the nail square on. Most parents just throw money at kids and that’s it. If she he parents were held responsible for the behavior, bad grades, lack of supplies, ( just to name a few) they might pay a little more attention to what is actually going on with their kids. I am not a teacher, but I am a parent,
I agree with her completely on everything she says. I worked in my home town School System in the early 80’suntil early 90’s . Students at this time were not perfect, But they didn’t come into the class room with the Attitude that they don’t have to do what the Teachers and other Authorities say. No class interruptions like today. They knew there would be consequences if they did. Today parent don’t know what their students are doing at school or in class and has no idea about their lessons. They think it’s a bother to have meetings with the Teachers. That’s because they don’t want to hear the Teacher tell the Truth about their kids. It’s a sad thing to me. Horrible for Teachers and sad that the kids aren’t taught better by their parents