Most people have thoughts about things like childcare, education, and the school system as a whole.
After all, isn’t it super important to make sure we’re doing everything we can to properly care for and guide the next generation of kids during such a crucial time in their lives?
That being said, while many people are quick to criticize different parts of education, not many can match the strong opinions of a retired teacher who became famous online a few years ago.
This teacher, Lisa Roberson, wrote an open letter that was published in the Augusta Chronicle back in 2017, and her message still gets people talking about whether parents or teachers should take the blame for the problems we see in the school system today.
It’s essential to remember that this letter was written before the pandemic, which means it was created before all the big changes were made to keep education going during COVID.
Many of these changes during that tough time received mixed reactions from people in the US, showing that there are a lot of opinions about the education system and how to improve it.
For Lisa Roberson, the issue isn’t with the teachers, as some have suggested in recent years, but rather with the parents of the students.
As a retired teacher
As a retired teacher, Lisa expressed her frustration: “I’m tired of people who don’t understand public schools or haven’t been in a classroom for a long time trying to fix our education system.”
She continued, “Teachers are not the problem! The real issue is the parents! They aren’t teaching their kids manners, respect, or even basic social skills.”
Lisa pointed out that “Kids come to school wearing shoes that cost more than what the teacher’s whole outfit is worth, but they don’t even have a pencil or paper. Who ends up providing those? The teachers often have to buy them with their own money.”
This was posted in the newspaper today !!!Posted by Tony Flowers on Thursday, February 16, 2017
When you think about schools that are struggling, consider the role of parents and students. Are parents attending meetings for parents? Do they communicate with teachers often? Are they ensuring their kids have the right supplies? Are they checking that their kids complete their homework?
“Do they have working phone numbers? Are students taking notes during lessons? Are they doing their assignments? Are they paying attention in class, or are they causing distractions?
“When you examine these things, it becomes clear that it’s not the schools that are failing, but rather the parents. Teachers can’t handle both their responsibilities and those of the parents. Until parents take action and fulfill their roles, things won’t improve!”
This letter from a retired teacher definitely sparked a lot of conversation and brings up important points that should be talked about.
What are your thoughts on the letter? Should parents be held responsible? Or is it mainly the teachers’ fault? Share your opinions in the comments.