[Carry_Okie]

As the mother of a Virginia teacher, I would say it is because of disciplinary problems and parents who will not support the teachers by encouraging their children to do their homework, listen in class, and do the best that they possibly can to get a decent education.

Teachers often blame parents, forgetting that those parents are products of public schools.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Teachers often blame parents, forgetting that those parents are products of public schools.

Teachers aren't blaming parents for having a bad education themselves - its for their poor parenting skills. Many parents these days have abdicated their parenting responsibilites - look at the number of kids from divorced homes, that are alone for numerous hours after school, that have to deal with the emotional turmoil of remarriages, and are neglected in one form or another because of their parent's immaturity. This stems more from the selfish attitude of the 60's than from public schooling.

[Goodgirlinred]

My daughter is an excellent teacher. She had students who never would do their homework and they were in the third grade!!! My daughter certainly could not go home with every student and make sure that he or she did his homework. That is a parent's responsibility. Parents who do not take on the role of a parent and do what they are supposed to do to help their own children routinely blame the teachers for their children's failures.

Good education is a cooperative effort among teachers, parents, and students.

My daughter was talking with a teacher who was leaving the Roanoke City schools to come to Bedford to teach at lower pay. The reason was because there is better discipline in our schools. The city schools have a high proportion of students from welfare families, broken homes, the projects, etc. This does not mean that every student in those situations is a problem and not a good student, but there are a good percentage who are problems.

We don't have gangs in our schools, either.