What is happening to our society? It seems that these days, parents are willing to teach their children to lie and cheat to get ahead. As a former teacher, in the profession for only a few years before I got fed up, I witnessed some awful things. Parents want to be their kids "friend." They are afraid to say no and will not teach their children responsibility, morals, ethics, or manners. I find this to be a major problem in the Northern Virginia area. These children feel like they are entitled and untouchable. They think rules and laws don't apply to them. There is no respect or common human decency. Some people in this area are not even fit to raise children. I left education, because I was sick of it. Parents would come up to the school, yelling and making ridiculous demands. And we want to know why teenagers act the way they do these days. I have a great deal of respect for those parents who are actually raising their children to be good people. Many first year teachers leave the school system because of the pressure they get from parents. I don't blame them! They don't get paid enough to put up with that nonsense. Switching careers was the best thing I ever did. Makes me laugh though, because these parents will have to shoulder the burden of their children for the rest of their lives. Don't complain when these types of kids are in their 40's and still living in your basement. Kids need to earn the respect of others, it is not just bestowed upon them. Hard work and discipline will make you successful, not having Mommy and Daddy fight your battles!

i can't say it's all the parents fault, but you're right about the kids in fcps. i am so fucking glad to be graduated from that bullshit. half the people cheat and lie to get grades and the other half don't give a shit. it'll be real nice to see all these morons i went to school with down the line. they're gonna be total nobodys.

Some argue that lying and cheating is what the real world is all about. Well... at least in big business. However it tends to catch up to people, just ask Rep. Wiener

Teachers are paid enough, if a lot of you really could something else, then ya probably would.

Last post is not true. Many people like kids and can do something else, but are drawn to the rewards of teaching.

First poster is correct though. The rewards have to be measured against the exhaustion of dealing with parents (and certain administrators and bureaucratic rules). The kids are not the problem. They are the victims. They don't design the system---and yes, some (many) have given up on it. There is way too much negative energy coming from all directions out there. Teachers feel beaten down. The best ones will leave (because they can do a lot). The ones who can't do something else will stay.

Poor parenting, crappy schools, horny teachers, and incompetent School Boards, that's what's wrong.
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As a teacher, I get mad about many comments that are made about us. The one thing that upsets me more than any other is when people say that many people could not do anything else. Most teachers have skills outside of teaching. Me, for example, could have done many things (IT, management, law) but chose teaching because the rewards (non-monetary) were greater in education. Please, stop this crap about us not being able to do anything else.

ger, I feel for you. At least you had the guts to leave before the job ate you alive. Some due to different reasons, they dont care or they have bills to pay, just stick it out for 25 years. I can see how it must have gotten to you. Parents need to start acting like parents and stop trying to be a kids friend. I get pissed off just standing behind parents in the grocery line and listening what demanding pricks and cunts they are to the cashier so they must be ten times worse to a teacher.

My friend taught in a FCPS high school a few years back.A student showed up at school at 8 am drunk on his ass. The parents showed up at the school and demanded to know if he was read his rights and they were already in contact with a lawyer. They totally ignored that the kid has issues being drunk at 8 am. He was suspended and couseling was recommended. The lawyer was able to get the suspension lifted.

I understand a parent could be concerned of an overzealous school system but the first thought should have been to help the kid get control of his drinking problem.

The administrators are bound by zero tolerance rules and other rules that restrict or eliminate their use of judgement in handling an incident - or they exercise bad judgement with what little latitude they have. Oh yea, and the kids involved are often assholes looking to get away with it.

While I agree that the kid should be busted and put on the right track first, I'm not thrilled about the idea of a school administration being involved in a potential expulsion or criminal prosecution.

The system is often called out as stupid and blind. As a parent I would be looking to protect my child from themselves (AKA the stupid shit they just pulled) and also protect them from the flawed school system administration and policies.

The parents that don't follow through on fixing the kid are the real problem that's causing the constant contortion of the rules. "Another parent didn't keep his stoner/drunk kid from doing it again at school? Aw shit, let's just set it to zero tolerance so we don't have to deal with the fucks a second time, ever."

Really? Wrote:
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> Me, for example, could have done many things...



ME, for example, WANT COOKIES!!!

UM YUM YUM YUM YUM!
UM YUM YUM YUM YUM!
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MeLoveCookies Wrote:
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> Really? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Me, for example, could have done many things...
>
>
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> ME, for example, WANT COOKIES!!!
>
> UM YUM YUM YUM YUM!
> UM YUM YUM YUM YUM!

TROLOLOLOLOL

ger124 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is happening to our society? It seems that
> these days, parents are willing to teach their
> children to lie and cheat to get ahead. As a
> former teacher, in the profession for only a few
> years before I got fed up, I witnessed some awful
> things. Parents want to be their kids "friend."
> They are afraid to say no and will not teach their
> children responsibility, morals, ethics, or
> manners. I find this to be a major problem in the
> Northern Virginia area. These children feel like
> they are entitled and untouchable. They think
> rules and laws don't apply to them. There is no
> respect or common human decency. Some people in
> this area are not even fit to raise children. I
> left education, because I was sick of it. Parents
> would come up to the school, yelling and making
> ridiculous demands. And we want to know why
> teenagers act the way they do these days. I have a
> great deal of respect for those parents who are
> actually raising their children to be good people.
> Many first year teachers leave the school system
> because of the pressure they get from parents. I
> don't blame them! They don't get paid enough to
> put up with that nonsense. Switching careers was
> the best thing I ever did. Makes me laugh though,
> because these parents will have to shoulder the
> burden of their children for the rest of their
> lives. Don't complain when these types of kids are
> in their 40's and still living in your basement.
> Kids need to earn the respect of others, it is not
> just bestowed upon them. Hard work and discipline
> will make you successful, not having Mommy and
> Daddy fight your battles!

I bet you were a totally boring teacher who droned on and on and couldn't hold anyone's attention for more than two minutes.

ger124 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is happening to our society? It seems that
> these days, parents are willing to teach their
> children to lie and cheat to get ahead. As a
> former teacher, in the profession for only a few
> years before I got fed up, I witnessed some awful
> things. Parents want to be their kids "friend."
> They are afraid to say no and will not teach their
> children responsibility, morals, ethics, or
> manners. I find this to be a major problem in the
> Northern Virginia area. These children feel like
> they are entitled and untouchable. They think
> rules and laws don't apply to them. There is no
> respect or common human decency. Some people in
> this area are not even fit to raise children. I
> left education, because I was sick of it. Parents
> would come up to the school, yelling and making
> ridiculous demands. And we want to know why
> teenagers act the way they do these days. I have a
> great deal of respect for those parents who are
> actually raising their children to be good people.
> Many first year teachers leave the school system
> because of the pressure they get from parents. I
> don't blame them! They don't get paid enough to
> put up with that nonsense. Switching careers was
> the best thing I ever did. Makes me laugh though,
> because these parents will have to shoulder the
> burden of their children for the rest of their
> lives. Don't complain when these types of kids are
> in their 40's and still living in your basement.
> Kids need to earn the respect of others, it is not
> just bestowed upon them. Hard work and discipline
> will make you successful, not having Mommy and
> Daddy fight your battles!


I have to admit, I don't know how teachers deal with the rotten eggs that litter our schools. I see them at my kid's school - the dregs of society. On the otherhand, there are some pretty cool kids and some pretty rotten teachers too. My kid has had a few. She rates her current teachers this way: My English teacher is the best teacher, my Algebra teacher is the worst teacher and should be fired, my Science teacher is the meanest person on the planet, and my History teacher is the coolest person on the planet. In my experience dealing with teachers, the younger ones are definitely easier to communicate with and respectful of my concerns, while the older ones are quite jaded and irreverent.

Saying teachers teach because they can't do anything else is absurd. I was a teacher for many, many years. I retired and went to work in the local industry, gov contracting, been doing it for over 10 years now. I doulbed my teaching salary the day I went to work, and have established a track record to the point that I now turn down job offers. I am not unique. To top it off, there's not a day goes by that I don't think about how much easier this is compared to being a teacher. I certainly acknowledge that there are teachers that are incompetent in the classroom, and would be incompetent in most jobs. However, I would submit that the same could be said for any profession.

I knew teachers that supplemented their incomes by house painting, home improvement contracting, (one guy was a math teacerh and held a masters electrician license), working in retail, mortagage lending, real estate, you name it. It wasn't that they couldn't succeed in those area, they chose to continue to teach. There was a guy that was a football coach that retired and is now a very, very successful custom home builder. So, the notion that teachers aren't capable is an absolute myth.

And, I agree that most of the hassles of teaching come from parents and kids who think they don't have to adhere to rules, standards, and respect the educational institution.

Oh geez...

I, for example, ...

Wow, what was I thinking???

I do like cookies though! :)

Ger124,

Did you suck as a teacher? I bet you did. Your attitude that "the parents are enabling/entitled jerks" is indicative of a problem teacher. Parents can sniff out this attitude in seconds. This attitude is the hallmark of a crappy school/crappy teacher. Which was it for you? Did you suck or did your school admin suck?

A lousy principal can ruin a school in record time. Lousy principals chase away good educators. Poor communication from the school admin ruins schools. Blame your own damn school not the parents.

I know this is an old forum but would like to add my comment.

I agree with the OP and "anotherposter".......It is coming from both ways. Teachers AND Parents, but the culprits are really the Government.

To Teachers: You do have those parents (that I HATE) that will enable their kids. They are the ones where LiL' Timmy can do no wrong, even if he is setting the cat on fire. ("That cat was mean to him at times, I don't blame Lil' Timmy. If it was not for the cats actions, Timmy would not have set him on fire! How DARE you blame MY son when it was CLEARLY the cats fault?") But there are ones like me, who do not condone, enable nor blame YOU for the faults of MY child.

To Parents: I get it. Everyone has either had a very bad teacher or knew someone that did. But, honestly, this is not even 35% of the cases. Yes there are some out there, but think logically. Most Teacheres go INTO teaching because they have a heart towards children. Teaching is not like Mc Donalds, where you "go for the job because you just NEED to, to pay your bills!!!!! Jeeze.....If your child didn't do anything wrong and thier teacher is "harrassing" them or treating them UNFAIRLY then this turns into a learning experience. Not everyone in the world is GOING to treat them fairly. Time to teach our kids HOW to deal with these people respectfully.

But I believe it is the Governments fault. They tell us that we can not discipline our children, unless it is time outs. (IMHO, time outs give kids more time to think of bigger and badder crap to do.) They tell our kids if they "feel" they are not treated fairly by thier parents that they can call the police and THEY will save them from thier Parental Ogres that have the NERVE to establish boundries! HOW DARE THEY SET BOUNDRIES IN THE HOME OF THE FREEEEE????? (I do believe the laws were set forth because some children WERE abused. This should not happen but it does. Save those kids! PLEASE! However it has gone too far. CHILDREN can NOT distinguish the difference. And why are we, as adults, expecting THEM to, anyway? If you ask a child, he or she is "abused" when they do not get the latest toy....and we actually listen to this so-called logic?)

So.....We have Bad teachers doing what they do best.....Good Teachers trying thier hardest....Bad parents not giving a crap.....Good parents that are scared....And Good Parents that try thier best to do what is actually RIGHT, trying to weed out bad teachers and bad parents, communicating with good teachers, while ALL the while trying to teach their children that each situation must be thought out to figure out the correct response. It is called BALANCE.

To BOTH SIDES: GOOD Parents ARE losing the battle and WE need more HELP than blaming.

That is my rant for today. Just a thought.

The OP is correct. Parents dont want to be parents, its just too much work. Instead they want to be cool and be their kids friends, forgetting the kids are embarrased by how the parents strive to act like teenagers instead of the adults they are supposed to be.

What can you expect, most parents in this area couldnt care less about what their brats are doing. Instead they gossip about each other, compare home values, biggest SUV, whose husband makes the most money and who they are fucking on the side

Really? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As a teacher, I get mad about many comments that
> are made about us. The one thing that upsets me
> more than any other is when people say that many
> people could not do anything else. Most teachers
> have skills outside of teaching. Me, for example,
> could have done many things (IT, management, law)
> but chose teaching because the rewards
> (non-monetary) were greater in education. Please,
> stop this crap about us not being able to do
> anything else.

I don't know who is saying this, but you really need to grow a thicker skin. As long as you are suckling off of the public teet you will hear criticism. Many times it is well deserved. I noticed that English is not one of your competencies, so I will correct two of your sentences. Maybe this shows that FCPS does not care about the quality of their teachers the same way that parents do not care about their children.

"The one thing that upsets me more than any other is when people say that many
teachers could not do anything else."

"I, for example, could have done many things (IT, management, law) but chose teaching because the rewards (non-monetary) were greater in education."

You are welcome.

"As long as you are suckling off the public teat (corrected spelling), (correction in placing the comma) you will hear criticism."

Excuse me dear poster, but teachers work. They are not getting welfare payments. To suggest that they are not working for their pay is ridiculous. Your statement is offensive to all who help children every day.