School principals are fed up with lazy parents.
Parents are fed up with kids not learning ‘the basics’ and having to hire tutors and do hours of work with their children at home just to ‘keep them up to speed.’
So who’s right?
Sir Michael Wilshaw, head of UK body OFSTED (Office For Standards In Education, Childrens’ Services and Skills) believes kids who are failing are parents’ responsibility, not the school’s.
More than that, he wants dud mums and dads told they’re bad parents – and as a former principal he’s done it himself. The Daily Mail reported:
‘I was absolutely clear with parents; if they weren’t doing a good job, I would tell them so. It’s up to headteachers to say quite clearly, “You’re a poor parent”. If parents didn’t come into school, didn’t come to parents’ evening, didn’t read with their children, didn’t ensure they did their homework, I would tell them they were bad parents.
He went on to say that in Britain at least, poverty is a poor excuse for slack parenting and points out that the children of poor migrant families do remarkably well because they value and prioritise education.
Sir Michael accused white working class families of no longer regarding doing well at school as the way to improve their family’s future. Instead, pupils from migrant families were outperforming white British counterparts in the classroom because many held a deep cultural belief in the value of education, he claimed. ‘Headteachers should have the power to fine bad parents.’ It’s sending the message that you are responsible for your children no matter how poor you are.’
Sir Michael sounds like a formidable gent. Possibly not a popular one. I don’t think skipping the occasional parent information night or letting Mathletics slip once in a while puts you into the ‘bad parent’ bucket.
I’d hate for him to find out that I rarely read to my kids and that I often outsource supervising my youngest’s homework to my oldest. There may be some exchange of money in this arrangement so I sure as hell don’t have a lot left to pay a fine.
I don’t think it will come to that. Despite my ‘relaxed’ approach, my kids have turned into happy independent readers, not because I’m afraid of fines or being judged a ‘bad parent’, but because their dad and I are readers ourselves. We pay attention to how they’re doing and will step in if we sense they’re struggling. We don’t angst because we know that generally, kids who come from caring homes do ok.
The thing is, there ARE parents who don’t care whether their kid can read or not, who are blasé about learning to count and spell and get along with people. And they’re never going to take a stern talking-to from a principal well.
Top Comments
Surely this would be a red flag for a family in need of help?! If they don't have the time & ability to support their kids then it is likely that there is something bigger going on in their lives. Empathy & communication might help
Here is a novel thought.... How about some support is provided for the teachers.
When it is the norm that all teachers get sick by the end of term due to burnout the system is broken! I'm a 1st year secondary school teacher and was absolutely abused by a student who just didn't get what they wanted today (entitled middle class student) and I have no avenue to protect myself or provide consequences. Society as a whole needs to respect what a difficult job teaching is and the personal sacrifices teachers make for their students.
I get burnout too as a Social Worker, it comes with the job. But I don't get 3 months off a year to recharge.