'Defeated' teacher's open letter to parents about disciplining their children

[Graham2001]

An “exhausted” school teacher has penned an emotional open letter to parents about their “bizarrely lenient” approach to discipline – and how it is creating a generation of spoilt, self-entitled children.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/defeated-teachers-open-letter-parents-discipling-children-094256858.html


You only have to look at the rise of the phrase "I'm unable to adult today" to understand this person may have something, though my personal belief is that the generation described in the letter already exists.

 

[Travis]

Ah, I can remember when it was my generation that was spoiled and entitled.

 

[BobTheCoward]

Ah, I can remember when it was my generation that was spoiled and entitled.

You think it would have been worse when the violent crime rate was nearly double.

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

So writing an emotional rant on Facebook blaming your management, the parents, and the students for your classroom management and personal feelings is not self-entitled or excuse making?

For context, she works in a competitive, private, historically segregationist school.

In a 1989 Boston Globe report, the superintendent of Orangeburg's public schools, James Wilsford, credited Orangeburg Prep for stepping away from its segregrationist traditions, saying it was "a big move towards accommodating the modern world."[7] The Globe story stated that "[o]ne black student, the son of a physician, studied at Orangeburg Prep until his family moved back to Ohio recently."

By 2007, the Orangeburg public school system was 90 percent black, while Orangeburg Prep was still 95 percent white.

...

Admission to Orangeburg Preparatory Schools is competitive. OPS seeks students with good character, diverse interests, and a willingness to work in a challenging environment. A prospective student’s admission is based upon previous academic records, recommendations, an interview, and an entrance examination.

Heartbreaking.

 

[Trebuchet]

Ah, I can remember when it was my generation that was spoiled and entitled.

And mine, 50+ years ago.

 

[Giz]

Sounds like imminent societal collapse. As was said by some other teacher a few thousand semesters ago:

“Plato complained
about the youth of the day, also. "What is happening to our young
people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They
ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions.
Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

Sounds like imminent societal collapse. As was said by some other teacher a few thousand semesters ago:

“Plato complained
about the youth of the day, also. "What is happening to our young
people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They
ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions.
Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"

Here are more along the same lines, but whether they are actually real is debatable.

 

[sadhatter]

Here are more along the same lines, but whether they are actually real is debatable.

If this was happening,what would it look like?

 

[lionking]

Sounds like imminent societal collapse. As was said by some other teacher a few thousand semesters ago:

“Plato complained
about the youth of the day, also. "What is happening to our young
people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They
ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions.
Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?"

Beat me to it. It might not have been Socrates who said this, but I'm certain that sentiment was widespread among the ancient Greeks as it has been throughout human history.

One of my daughter's is a teacher. It's a tough job. But whining and feeling sorry for yourself does absolutely nothing.

 

[phiwum]

Here are more along the same lines, but whether they are actually real is debatable.

Given that Socrates himself was charged and convicted of "corrupting the youth", it does seem unlikely Plato was complaining about the youth.

Thanks for the link. I had read the Plato quote in several sources and assumed (stupidly) that it was accurate.

 

[ddt]

Here are more along the same lines, but whether they are actually real is debatable.

But at least the Seneca quote is real, right? I can think of at least one corrupted youth in his time, viz. Emperor Nero. He must have had a really bad teacher.

 

[mgidm86]

Ah, I can remember when it was my generation that was spoiled and entitled.

How many schools did you shoot up though?

I read the article and I agree with a lot of what she says about parenting today. Hard to prove anything without data though so that's as far as I care to go.

 

[rdwight]

Replace her critique of students with critique of teachers and see how quickly her new found clarity of the situation changes. First off, she's young. I doubt she has been teaching for very long, given her need for confirmation bias among other professionals in the current time. Having spent a few years teaching, she feels special to say that TODAY's youth and parents are so much different than the past time.

Let's lay out a different scenario. Teachers are soft today. They are unable to handle the demand and responsibility of their job, and think somehow adolescents have changed so much in current time that they have it that much harder than teachers of years past.

Hate to break it to them, but kids have always been ********. And parents have always looked to hand off blame of their behavior unto others. This isn't new. And although her experience with it might be, I say welcome to the profession.

As an additional thought, it seems to me like the people that condemn the parenting and behavior of the youth are quick to shine a light on their own indiscretions and behavior as a person growing up. 'Bullying is normal. I was bullied and blah blah blah.' Defense of bad behavior to view current upbringing as lacking and leading to moral decay/weakness while highlighting the regularity of it from their own youth. It annoys me.

 

[Minoosh]

Let's lay out a different scenario. Teachers are soft today. They are unable to handle the demand and responsibility of their job, and think somehow adolescents have changed so much in current time that they have it that much harder than teachers of years past.

Got any evidence for this scenario? Teachers are not "soft" today. It's the hardest job in the world. During my one semester of FT teaching I was working at a flat run every waking moment. I can't do that now because of caregiving responsibilities so I work around the edges as a sub, tutor and paraprofessional. The kids have gotten more difficult. Today's teachers do have it harder and if you asked a few old-timers I'm pretty sure most would agree with me.

I do question the Facebook posting. Another option would be to call each parent, for 5 minutes each, but that would take 12.5 hours assuming everything went perfectly. Add to that increased duties imposed by administration. It's no wonder so many burn out after the first couple of years.

 

[Giz]

Teachers are not "soft" today. It's the hardest job in the world.

Sure it is.

 

[lionking]

Sure it is.

I sense sarcasm.

It may not be the hardest job, but it is extremely demanding and accountable. I worked in senior executive positions and coped. I couldn’t cope with a school teaching job (adult teaching jobs are likely easier).

 

[3point14]

Sure it is.

Ever done it?

 

[Darat]

Ah, I can remember when it was my generation that was spoiled and entitled.

You lie - that was my generation!

 

[rdwight]

Got any evidence for this scenario? Teachers are not "soft" today. It's the hardest job in the world. During my one semester of FT teaching I was working at a flat run every waking moment. I can't do that now because of caregiving responsibilities so I work around the edges as a sub, tutor and paraprofessional. The kids have gotten more difficult. Today's teachers do have it harder and if you asked a few old-timers I'm pretty sure most would agree with me.
I do question the Facebook posting. Another option would be to call each parent, for 5 minutes each, but that would take 12.5 hours assuming everything went perfectly. Add to that increased duties imposed by administration. It's no wonder so many burn out after the first couple of years.

So you have evidence for your statement as well? That is basically my point. And the specifics of her complaints about the difficulty is the larger issue I am calling into question in these scenarios. That kids are worse and parents are worse. Not that cell phone distractions are an issue. Not that she has added workload and administrative responsibilities. Not any of the myriad of issues involved in teaching that could be focused on.

Basically a finger wag at an entire generation of parents and children due to her few years of teaching what? 20-30 kids a year TOPS? And honestly, how many specific ones out of those years matched the behavior she complains about? 3-5 a year? Probably not a bad guesstimate. Great generalization for the 50+ million students in public school. She 'spoke with some teachers and researched', great the 3+ million teachers etc. It's just silly.

 

[fuelair]

So you have evidence for your statement as well? That is basically my point. And the specifics of her complaints about the difficulty is the larger issue I am calling into question in these scenarios. That kids are worse and parents are worse. Not that cell phone distractions are an issue. Not that she has added workload and administrative responsibilities. Not any of the myriad of issues involved in teaching that could be focused on.

Basically a finger wag at an entire generation of parents and children due to her few years of teaching what? 20-30 kids a year TOPS? And honestly, how many specific ones out of those years matched the behavior she complains about? 3-5 a year? Probably not a bad guesstimate. Great generalization for the 50+ million students in public school. She 'spoke with some teachers and researched', great the 3+ million teachers etc. It's just silly.

Not really.