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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm a teacher, and I have almost 20 years of experience.

The situation has radically changed over the past several years.  While most parents are reasonable and perfectly pleasant, there is a small, crazed minority of parents who have ruined the system for the majority of teachers, students, and parents.  These policies are in place because that is the only way to ensure that teachers are not harrassed, slandered, and attacked by a minority of (very, VERY) badly-behaved parents.

I have witnessed a bevy of moms make it their single purpose to humiliate and destroy the careers of colleagues.  I have witnessed parents cursing and shouting at colleagues.  I have directly experienced parents who send me abusive emails before they have bothered to learn the facts of a situation, and parents who cannot conceal their disgust and scorn for teachers in general, and who believe and act as if every teacher is an enemy and peasant who must be bullied.  Again, this is not the majority of parents, but when the minority of badly-behaved parents is allowed to run rampant, it destroys the atmosphere for all teachers at the school, as well as the well-being and possibly the career of the teacher receiving the brunt of the abuse.  I do not think any other working professional routinely endures the insults and abuse teachers receive.  I really don't.

I agree that constructing a wall between parent and teacher is not the ideal way to support students.  But I also don't see any alternative.  I don't think it is possible to fully understand just how bad some parents behave toward teachers unless you have witnessed this.

For the record, I have a track record of strong AP scores and great relationships with students and parents.  Most of the teachers I have seen abused by parents were perfectly competent as well (not all, but even with weaker teachers, abusing them doesn't improve the situation).

I don't know what the solution is here.  But I suggest that rather than blaming the school for these unpleasant policies, you look toward the few badly-behaved parents who have ruined things for us all.

[/quote]

I’m a teacher too. I can handle parents because I’m organized, fair, timely and transparent. It is infuriating to pay $50k a year for teachers who barely do their jobs. And anyone who thinks students should suffer because teachers need to be protected from a handful of mean mommies probably shouldn’t be teaching. [/quote]

Let me guess, you’re the teacher who teaches 1 or 2 classes and is fawned over because your grandfather/mother has a building on campus named after him.

None of my colleagues barely does their job. This sounds like something parents say to each other at cocktail parties. [/quote]

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