I quit teaching because of pushy parents, please back off & let us do our jobs
A FORMER teacher explained that she decided to quit because of the pushy parents who support her decisions and let her do her job.
Australian Shona Hendley explained that she was so desperate for parents to stop undermining her that she left the profession after three years and seven months.
Now a parent herself, Shona explained that her time as a teacher has shaped the way that she cares for her children and communicates with their educators.
Writing for Kidspot.com.au, she said: “Now, I am not saying that I am perfect (because I am not) but I am saying that when a teacher has made a decision about something involving my children, I accept it and I support it.
“Oh, and on the occasion when I do observe some other parents and how they engage with the school and teaching staff, well it reminds me of why I left teaching nearly a decade ago.”
When a teacher has made a decision about something involving my children, I accept it and I support it.
The main gripe with teaching that Shona aired was when parents didn’t respect her disciplining decisions and challenged her.
To illustrate her point the former-teacher gave the example of a recent incident when a child, who she kept anonymous, had their school iPad confiscated on a Friday, so she wasn’t able to take it home for the weekend.
The mother of the girl was so angry about this decision that she decided to email the teacher “demanding” to know why she hadn’t been told before the decision was made and questioning the teacher’s choice.
Most read in Fabulous
Shona, who disagreed with the parent’s actions, said: “It is not her arm, or some sort of apparatus that allows her to live, it is an iPad.
“Why does the teacher need to run this by you? It is the teacher’s decision (and a school iPad) based on what she deemed an appropriate reprimand for misusing the device. Seems pretty fair to me.”
She also said that even if the decision was wrong, it was a good learning opportunity for the child as sometimes in life other people will make bad decisions that affect us and we have to suffer the consequences.
Shona also thought that the daughter shouldn’t be taught that when her she doesn’t like something, her mum will swoop in and complain on her behalf.
FABULOUS BINGO: GET A £5 FREE BONUS WITH NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED
She said: “It says very loudly and clearly rules and decisions made by the school and those who work within it apparently have no actual legitimacy and purpose.”
While this is a specific example the ex-teacher pointed out that these scenarios are all too common.
She said: “For the past four years, I have witnessed or heard about soooo many other parents doing similar things.
“It can be about the allocation of detentions, about the way something was said to their child by the teacher (reportedly), about the allocation of rewards and punishments, about a whole host of reasons big and small.
“The other interesting pattern I’ve noticed is that parental involvement often happens by the same parent/s about the same child/ren.”
It says very loudly and clearly rules and decisions made by the school and those who work within it apparently have no actual legitimacy and purpose.
She did acknowledge that sometimes it is important to set up a meeting and clarify something with the teacher, but explained that 95% of the time, no action needs to be taken.
Shona ended with an appeal to all parents on behalf of teachers.
She said: “So, as an ex-teacher, what I plead for parents to do is just respect what the teacher has decided and support it.
“Don’t go undermining it, don’t go challenging it, don’t go asking for a PowerPoint presentation of why they have made their decision. Let it go.”
Previously we brought you the news of a teacher who shared the five things she refuses to do.