Unruly Parents Are a Problem Too

Re “Disruptive Students Test Many Novice Teachers,” May 23: A quote from one principal suggests that teachers with discipline problems must be deficient. She said, “A natural teacher will always have an outstanding classroom.”

Maybe. But I wonder how even outstanding teachers can be expected to deal with the minority of unruly children who are parented by adults unconcerned with their children’s education or behavior. One teacher tells me of being rebuked by the parent of a (well-clothed) child in response to a reminder to read to the child. She simply didn’t have any books, the parent testily complained. Another educator tells me of parents who undermine school discipline in particularly striking ways; an example: parents who themselves transport their children to activities, even though the school has barred the children from participating as a punishment for misbehavior.

Most parents don’t need additional incentives to reinforce school efforts at education and discipline. But a small number either do not value the education of their children or they possess maturity levels not much greater than the children’s. It is a mistake to ignore the responsibility of teachers, but we cannot ignore parental responsibility either. Efforts to improve schools must confront the problem of bad parents as well as bad (or inexperienced) teachers.

William K. Ford

Whittier