To start this thread about teacher's experiences of OTT parents as there are frequent posts by parents about teachers!

[Mammajay]

I was in my class with a group of students when the door opened and in stepped an angry parent with an Alsatian dog pulling on the lead. The mum was demanding I returned her 12 year old daughter's radio which I had confiscated the day before due to her disturbing the lesson with it. I wanted to tell the mum to p... off but being a professional, I carefully removed it from my desk, returned it to the mother and asked her to ensure it was kept at home in future. That girl dropped out of school later. In the majority of cases, parents need to support teachers who are trying to maintain discipline so that they can teach and students can learn. Other teachers' examples of OTT parents???

I also agree with the above statement. Parents do seem to take what the child says as gospel. The comment about not smiling enough being poor customer service really says it all.

At my last school there was a parent with 2 terribly behaved children. She made a formal complaint every time either of them was put in detention or had work returned. Apparently we just "don't understand" her children. When the sanctions were pushed on with anyway she would start making allegations about the teacher in question (of inappropriate sexual behaviour towards the pupil or bullying, depending on whether it was a male or female member of staff and her son/daughter). Every single one had to be investigated and went on record even when inevitably cleared. I think she is single handedly responsible for the departure of many good teachers from the profession. I count myself lucky that I got away with merely the "bullying" allegation (cleared instantly of course).

Myshinywhiteteeth, if sports day was optional you’d save all of these problems. Forcing children to play competitive team sports is never going to end well.

Shouted at by a mum of a 17 year old who had failed to bring a coat on a walking trip out. It was raining.

She got wet.

Mum was furious that she would catch a cold then give it to grandma and grandma would die.

1. I had a pupil, Emma 12, in my form. Pleasant pupil, no issues about middle for everything. Parents separated - which wasn’t as common in the early 80s as it is now.

I was early 20s , and looking back, a bit green and obviously inexperienced.

Parents evening. Parents back together for the meeting. Started very civilised until something minor cropped up. They start arguing, I’m not involved - almost a gooseberry in all of this. He was pulling rank on his wife, blaming her. (She had custody) Fair old row - not to Boris’ level but a few minutes. I wasn’t quite sure how to resolve it/move matters on. It died out on but it was an event to be remembered.

Wind the clock on 30 years..... Bumped into a, single, friend at a social event and she introduces me to her new boyfriend. We talk and realise that his daughter went to the school I taught in and that she was in my form. After they went it clicked who he was.... the same man. Still as self important.

1. In my mid 50s now. Older and wiser. Adil had been underperforming for years. Always made excuses and flashed his eyes at his mum who’d forgive anything, believed any excuse.

Parents separated and only mum came to parents evenings. ‘Sorry Haider can’t make it, he's very important in IT you know’. We decided to ask him directly. So y10 parents evening he came in. All very matey. He too was concerned about Adil’s laziness and lack of progress.

So would I mind sending him a daily email about what Advil had done each day, homework set, progress made.

This would have meant finding half a dozen different teachers every night, getting a resumè of Adil’s work and putting this in an email. (As well as my normal end of day jobs)

‘Sorry that’s just not possible.’ Told them both that they need to talk to him.

I think your school needs more security, parents should not be able to get into schools, they could come in and stab someone as this seems the current way to deal with problems.

Have seen a lot of both sides of this (I do admin/clerking work for local schools). The exclusion meetings that have to be held elsewhere because the parents are banned from the school site for thumping a teacher. And the teacher who thumped a pupil in front of a room full of witnesses, threw in some racist remarks and denied the whole lot through a series of meetings...

The parents who insisted that their little darling boy would never fight and that the student with a skull fracture was just making it up. Oh right I suppose he forges X rays and police witness statements as well as faking being knocked out. They were the worst I've met. No wonder their son had absolutely no sense of personal responsibility

I once had a parent come and demand to know why there was pork on the school meal menu 3 times in one week. My answer “I’m sure if you talk to the head or the cook then they might explain but unfortunately I have nothing to do with it as I am the class teacher” she was not impressed and went off in a huff. Funnily enough the following week we were doing food diary’s in school and for breakfast every morning her child had Nutella on toast, a chocolate yoghurt and chocolate milk

I used to teach a (paid for ) language lunch club at a local school.
One girl was completely disengaged and uninterested in learning and made loads of excuses not to come and I used to have to send other children to look for her, she was usually outside in the playground. If she did come she kept asking to go to the toilet and wanting to refill her water bottle etc etc. Her parents complained she couldn’t speak French very well - after 1 term of about 6 lessons when she was hardly there anyway!
Another parent phoned the company I worked for to say that as his son hadn’t learned any French he would like his money back and they wouldn’t be coming to any more lessons, this was purely because I was rubbish. He was refunded (against the T&C of the contract)but when I arrived next week the child was waiting for me by the door, I explained that unfortunately he wasn’t coming to French any more
“I know Miss, it’s coz we can’t afford it now my mums lost her job”

The father who phoned up to complain his daughter was disadvantaged in Food Tech because she was vegetarian

The Mother - who I knew by repute from another school - was always stating her son was being bullied. He wasnt , he was a nasty little shit, anyway not content with the schools findings she decided to take matters into her own hands and try and mow down a groups of Y7 'bullies' at the bus stop. Seriously unhinged.

Same Mother - but back at primary school 1 - decided the boys was being bullied, this was before security was ramped up, at the end of Y2 she marched into the classroom, grabbed the boy and sais "we're leaving ! Because! (much finger pointing at 6 year olds) You're a cunt! you're a bastard! you're a shit! and You're a cunt!" 29 stunned upturned faces plus staff, equally stunned, and off she marched.

I once had a grandmother take a dislike to me and she made several formal complaints over the year.

• I did not sharpen the pencils in my classroom often enough

• I closed the curtains at pick up time (to stop her and others banging on the classroom windows to get their child’s attention while we were having story etc..)

• I threw a clock at him (I did not)

• I stole his PE kit for myself (I had no use for a 5 year old’s pe kit and it later turned up in his older brothers classroom, exactly where I’d suggested it would be)

• I suggested he might be colourblind (he was)

The child himself was an absolute delight and a pleasure, as were the (full time working) parents. It was just gran!

Are any parent helpers needed on the Ostend trip? I can probably get a day off work for that (promise I’m not a nightmare parent)

DfE, Heads and governors are to blame here, really. They need to be braver.

Abuse, harassment and unreasonable demands on staff from parents need to be sorted, so teachers will still want to teach.

I feel for teachers every time I read a thread from a parent on here about some incident in which their little darling has been made to suffer outraaaaaaageous consequences because the teacher hasn't fully understood their specialness. I'm early in my dealings with school as a parent, but I know full well that the teacher has 25 other little darlings to manage and that mine is fully capable of bending the truth and trying to Machiavelli his way to the outcome he wants, even at 4.

I really like beer and chocolate can I come to Ostend too?

A poster up thread asked what happens when the children of these parents grow up and start going to work.

Absolutely nothing changes.

I used to be a manager for a fast food restaurant and most of my staff were aged 16-25.

I had parents come in and phone up to complain when their little (6 foot tall, 19 year old) soldier had been given a warning for lateness and smoking on shift.

A parent shouted at me for telling her daughter to put her phone away and do some work. Daughter was 21.

My particular favourite was a delightful young man of 23 who came into work with a stinking hangover, kicked off when asked to actually do some work and proceeded to smash up the staff room. Police were called, he was charged with criminal damage and obviously sacked. Mother came in and went ballistic on us (can't think where he gets his anger problem from) and actually tried to stage a sit in until we dropped the charges and reinstated his employment.

Luckily these were a minority. Most of the young employees were brilliant people who went on to be real assets.

But the sight of a middle aged woman in tears because her adult son had been given a written warning for not turning up for work isn't something I'll forget.

Not a teacher but I used to 'help out' at Primary School whenever I had a new foster placement with additional needs.

Young, male teacher is standing at the door, at home time, calling each child when he spots their parent. Children all sitting, quietly, on the mat waiting for their name to be called.

Mother marches up to teacher and starts screaming in his face. Teacher asks her to wait until he has seen all the children out safely then he will see her. She continues to scream obscenities at him whilst poking him in the chest. The children became very distressed. The parents have no idea what is going on and are anxious to get their child away. Within minutes the class has gone from a calm, happy environment to absolute chaos.

Eventually the children were all called and left. Mother is still ranting. Turns out she was not happy that teacher had kept her dd, plus 4 others, in at break time for 5 mins to finish off their work as they had been Messing about during lesson time. Teacher explained all this to mother. She then very smugly said, "I'm going to report you. My DD said you sexually abused her. That's the reason you kept her back. So you could be on your own with her". Then called him some lovely names 🙄 and marched off to HT.

It turns out every time the class teacher is male the mother has made a complaint of a sexual nature against the teacher.

The poor teacher was mortified! HT knew there was no truth in the allegation but had to follow it up through the correct channels. Teacher quit (as did the two male teachers before him).

Absolutely disgusting and uncalled for behaviour from the parent. Poor teachers can't do anything right these days.

Nomushrooms Do you live with that Mom’s children and how much training have you had regarding SEN issues. I’m assuming you are aware it’s possible for children to mask at school and let it all out at home.

I have a child with diagnosed!! ADHD and dyslexia and I’ve spent years having to deal with English trained teachers who think they know my child better than me. I have been accused of over exaggerating his needs, telling him too much regarding his disabilities, not giving him enough credit for his handwriting/academic work, not being allowed to use adjustments that help him, not being interested in his education and being mad. Also that because my child shows no signs of anxiety at school it doesn’t happen. I have a video of him banging his head off my hard sofa because he can’t remember what he’s supposed to do at home.

Surprisingly I have had 2 professional reports carried out privately that show my child to have high potential and clear academic strengths. The reports also backed up most of what I had been saying since year 2. Also guess what a lot of symptoms I identified and checked online because I’m not an educational psychologist so instead of sneering at parents maybe listen and try and learn.

Finally in year 6 he has a teacher who has worked with me in partnership and most importantly listened to [name removed by MNHQ] for what works for him.

I’m a paediatric nurse and I’m trained to work in partnership with families and together form plans that work for the best interests of the child. It’s also part of my professional responsibilities to admit when I don’t know the answer to everything and to educate myself about the child’s difficulties.

I’m not justifying parents or children being rude that’s unacceptable but teaching has become a profession that seems to be above critical feedback and reflection and that is dangerous.

I shudder to think what society is going to be like in a few years when these dreadful people's children hit the job market. Employers will shred them and they'll be out on their ear. I honestly don't know what parents think their role is if they allow their offspring to behave in such a way and won't allow teachers to do their job. People seem to treat their children as indulged pets now, rather than responsible citizens who are going to have to fit into society and make a living.

I feel sorry for teachers and don't know what the authorities will do once there are none left to deliver an education to the population. This country is going feral.

for all the teachers out there. Some of us really do see what a challenge your job is, and how much crap you take! Thank you for sticking with it, and putting up with my kids. Who know darned well that if they come home with a complaint about 'Sir' or 'Miss', then if need be, it will be queried with the school with no assumptions made that the child is necessarily in the right. Funnily enough, we've never had to do that.

I wonder about the kids of such parents - the ones I've known have generally not been 'standouts' academically, or any other way. Their parents really aren't doing them any favours. . .

Many appreciative and kind parents out there but somehow the hideous shouty nasty ones stick with you! Have been reduced to tears for asking a 6 year old to line up with her class, shouted at and intimidated at parents eve when alone with one large dad for not letting him take books home, had parents complain that i dont let their child talk whenever he wants as 'it's not the army' ...
Told i contact parents about 'silly things' when 7 year old has been physically violent and used horrifying obscene language! Thanks for the support!
colleagues have had had much worse.

My first parents evening as a new teacher in a very nice private school. I was 25 but must have looked suspiciously young. One dad asked me which university I'd gone to and what class of degree... it felt very good telling him I had a 1st from a top uni but I did want to say, 'you know that doesn't mean I'm not a crap teacher, right?'

Also had parents refusing to leave, or else refusing to leave their son, if I didn't change a room allocation (boarding school). The boy was with his best friend but also with 2 others he didn't want to share with. We rotated termly and I used to spend HOURS overthinking the room allocation. I spoke to every child individually to find out who they would like to share with, and if there was anyone they would hate to be with. This boy hadn't mentioned the 2 he was put in with, although I knew they wouldn't be his choice. I obviously also had to balance behaviour and any other needs. Unfortunately we had some single bedrooms (not at all ideal with younger boarders), he had been in his own room and didn't want to take his turn to share. He played his parents like a fiddle to get what he wanted.

Nothing as terrible as many on here though. Can't believe a parent came to a classroom with a dog!!!

So many examples of OTT or just completely batshit behaviour, I don't even know where to start. Maybe one day I'll write a book. I'm not a Teacher but I'm in charge of Safeguarding in a secondary school and below are just some of the things parents have found it necessary to contact me about

"My DS wants to cycle to school but I think the main road is too dangerous. We live at (postcode). Please can you look into alternative cycle routes and get back to me ASAP"

"My DD had X over for a sleepover on Saturday. On Sunday after she left DD realised her favourite lip gloss was missing. X must have stolen it. Please can you investigate and get back to me ASAP"

"My DS will need to take his remaining GCSE exams in a separate room from his classmates as X has broken up with him and he is too upset to see her. Please arrange for a separate room and invigilator and get back to me ASAP".

"DD is devestated. She has just found out that X, who she thought was one of her best friends, has brought the same Prom dress as her. X is refusing to change her dress even though she knows DD had it first! Please can you meet with the girls to sort this out ASAP?"

These just are a drop in the ocean.

I am me about the aggressive ones, you encounter those everywhere in public facing roles, or indeed just at the supermarket! It's the ones that apparently want a pat on the head from the teachers that drive me crazy "I did it because of my first aid training, yes I have first aid training g so I knew what to do, it's so useful, first aid training" just today's effort from THAT needy parentry!