The education system is far from perfect. But everyone’s opinion about what the perfect system would look like is completely different.
If you spoke to 100 students, parents, and teachers about what they’d like to see change in the curriculum, you would get 100 different answers.
Some would argue that it’s all entirely up to the teacher. But they’re on the front lines and are an easy target when looking to point plane. Others believe it’s a joint responsibility between parents and school faculty to make sure the students are getting the most out of their education.
One retired teacher got fed up with hearing so many complaints about the system, which all placed the blame on educators.
So she wrote a brutally honest open letter to parents everywhere.
The title: “Parents are the Problem” certainly doesn’t sugar coat anything.
It was first published in her local newspaper, but made waves and has since gone viral across the internet. You can see the original version posted at the end of this article.
She came to the rescue of teachers everywhere, who have been getting a lot of criticism lately.
Especially since the pandemic caused a lot of confusion. Not to mention the sudden need for online learning, which most teachers were unfamiliar with nine months ago.
“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 retired teacher turned all the blame towards parents, and remembers things being different in the past.
“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.”
She believes a lack of involvement or interest in their children’s education is part of the problem.
Not just the fault of the system, which has lately been accused of failing across the United States.
“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?”
She believes there’s too much pressure put on educators to be all things at once – both parents and teachers to the kids.
Her bold letter ended with a call to action for parents to “step up”.
“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!”
And now the internet is divided.
Some people wholeheartedly agree with her and believe parents could be doing more to support their kids at school.
Others think she’s being too harsh and unfairly attacking busy parents who want the best for their children.
It’s hard for any parent not to feel attacked by such a letter, but it’s making people take pause and reassess their parenting style. Even if they come out on the other side disagreeing with her!
What do you think?
Should the blame be put on parents, or teachers? Was she being too harsh, or speaking the truth?
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