Page 9 | UK teachers report rise in problem parents

Tabitha005 · 2026-03-13T11:56:25+00:00

Rude and disrespectful parents were a big issue when I worked in education ten years ago and, from this article, it seems to be an increasing concern. Who’d be a teacher, eh? The shit they have to put up with is awful. [[https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/mar/13/teachers-mental-heath-parents-behaviour-education https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/mar/13/teachers-mental-heath-parents-behaviour-education]]

CaptainMyCaptain · 14/03/2026 13:03

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 14/03/2026 13:01

Then teachers can carry on looking forward to parents getting very annoyed with their arrogance.

I actually retrained as a teacher myself. There’s no way I was going to join a profession where I was told in training that what I could do did not matter, and I instead needed to spend more time socialising with other teachers in a staff room, where most of the conversation was about how shit parents are. Parents have to work nowadays, often in low paid jobs in shitty conditions to work around kids, only to have teachers treat g them like dirt.

You were not told that in your training. I do not believe you.

SleeplessInWherever · 14/03/2026 13:04

CaptainMyCaptain · 14/03/2026 13:03

You were not told that in your training. I do not believe you.

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That wasn’t part of my PGCE, no.

Another76543 · 14/03/2026 13:04

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 14/03/2026 12:58

Which they then have to lug around all day! Use a pac a Mac in the morning and pack it wet among school books? And allow for either a much larger Pacamac or space in the bag to carry a blazer? Yes, it was intended as a perfect small example of conflicts being created, even among supportive parents, by a profession with power to mandate outside their sphere and then to treat parents with contempt.

Nk they don’t supply lockers or the time to get round to them any more. Teachers themselves have cloakrooms and staff rooms.

Edited

Children don’t get ill from getting caught in a bit of rain. If they can’t take coats, take a packable pac a mac (put it in a carrier bag if it gets wet in the morning), as a previous poster said. Alternatively, use an umbrella (you can get tiny lightweight ones). Not wearing a blazer won’t solve the problem of getting caught in the rain. This is precisely the issue; teachers spend so long dealing with this type of stuff that they have less time to teach.

BlueWellieSocks · 14/03/2026 13:05

Some people enjoy complaining and harassing teachers and see it as some kind of sport or hobby.

I think these people probably had bad experiences at school themselves and see this as their opportunity to be in a position of 'power' over the teacher.

It's exhausting to be on the receiving end of it. I just remind myself that these people mostly lead miserable lives and lashing out at others makes them feel better.

Passingthrough123 · 14/03/2026 13:06

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 14/03/2026 13:01

Then teachers can carry on looking forward to parents getting very annoyed with their arrogance.

I actually retrained as a teacher myself. There’s no way I was going to join a profession where I was told in training that what I could do did not matter, and I instead needed to spend more time socialising with other teachers in a staff room, where most of the conversation was about how shit parents are. Parents have to work nowadays, often in low paid jobs in shitty conditions to work around kids, only to have teachers treat g them like dirt.

You went through all that retraining, which is really hard and exhausting (my DP did it in his late 30s) but then didn't bother to get a job as a teacher? 👀

FourNaanJeremy · 14/03/2026 13:08

Another76543 · 14/03/2026 13:04

Children don’t get ill from getting caught in a bit of rain. If they can’t take coats, take a packable pac a mac (put it in a carrier bag if it gets wet in the morning), as a previous poster said. Alternatively, use an umbrella (you can get tiny lightweight ones). Not wearing a blazer won’t solve the problem of getting caught in the rain. This is precisely the issue; teachers spend so long dealing with this type of stuff that they have less time to teach.

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This. Pac a macs aren’t wet on the outside when you pack them away, that’s what they’re designed for. A complete non issue

TeaSqueezingpos · 14/03/2026 13:08

I work in a school but I’m also a parent in a chat group and i really feel sorry for teachers. It’s rife with clueless yet ‘I’m better than you’ parents 😭

Fingalscave · 14/03/2026 13:11

Onemoremakesthree · 13/03/2026 22:09

Rural secondary… on top of what PPs have mentioned, I’m also sick of the daily “my dad says I don’t need GCSEs”/“my dad says school is a waste of time”/“why do I need to learn this to work on my farm”
It baffles me why any parent wouldn’t want to inspire and encourage their kids to be the best they can be

I have never understood that attitude. I think it's always been around, as though someone is getting too big for their boots if they do well at school. I have a friend a couple of years older than me, so 66. When he left school his dad was furious that he got a job in an office as in his family men did manual work and he was betraying them. I'm glad my parents were the opposite.

MermaidofRye · 14/03/2026 13:14

Passingthrough123 · 14/03/2026 12:44

Schools can't refuse. It's a Dept for Education directive that all emails have to be responded to in a timely manner. He can try to point out that aggressive language isn't helpful, but he has to tread very carefully. Ideally there should be a code of conduct that parents must adhere to alongside the teachers' one – but can you imagine the uproar if it was introduced?

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Yes I can but let them up roar and roar up.

Who would be doing all this roaring and why would they need to be placated?

I can see that it would be a problem if teachers were amongst those roaring and some are daft enough to be.

But maybe it's time to pull on those boots and, as a profession, forget about "treading carefully."

Who are they treading carefully for-those parents who think it is their right to treat them as supplicants.

There has to be a big shift or teachers will be the New Serfs.

QueenEthelTheMagnificent · 14/03/2026 13:16

ExplodingCarrots · 14/03/2026 09:28

My DD started secondary last September and unfortunately her year group is plagued with bad /disruptive behaviour. I had a chat with my family member who works at the school and asked how these kids were continually getting away with this bad behaviour and they said that parents just do not engage and do not care . They just see their kids behaviour as the schools problem . My family member said it’s like banging their head against a wall and they feel like their hands are tied.

It’s predominantly boys that are kicking off and it’s female teachers who they play up for the most . They were recently inspected and put into special measures with behaviour being one of the biggest problems . My family member was gutted because no matter what punishments they dish out, the kids and parents don’t care, or the parents become abusive because how dare you punish my darling child. One girl who was in my DDs primary constantly threatens teachers that she will get her dad up the school to beat them up. My family member knows the dad and said ‘oh, you mean John Smith? I know him well, by all means send him up here I’d love to talk to him’ and the colour drained from her face . But this is what teachers are dealing with and it infuriates me . I really worry for the future generation and I’m already feeling sad my DDs education is being disrupted constantly by kids who are poorly parented .

@ExplodingCarrots 'They just see their kids behaviour as the schools problem'

This is it in a nutshell.

Boy I know KS1 so young, has been trouble multiple times parents called in continuously. Mums exact words to me? 'we don't have time to punish him because we work, and anyway he doesn't behave like that for me so why should I punish him in the little time I have with him'

He'd been putting his middle finger up at the teacher in class. 6 yrs old.

Evvyjb · 14/03/2026 13:17

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 14/03/2026 13:01

Then teachers can carry on looking forward to parents getting very annoyed with their arrogance.

I actually retrained as a teacher myself. There’s no way I was going to join a profession where I was told in training that what I could do did not matter, and I instead needed to spend more time socialising with other teachers in a staff room, where most of the conversation was about how shit parents are. Parents have to work nowadays, often in low paid jobs in shitty conditions to work around kids, only to have teachers treat g them like dirt.

Of course you did...

And if you did train, I fear you fell foul of TS8 and part 2.

Know what, the vast majority of schools have blazers and no lockers. We have both. Children are perfectly capable of wearing a waterproof coat which, if hung on the back of a chair, dries pretty quickly. Same as teachers when we are outside on duty.

I EVEN at times offer to keep students' coats/PE kits/art folders/books after a water bottle explosion in my classroom to dry.

But you crack on.

FancyLimePoet · 14/03/2026 13:19

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 14/03/2026 12:46

one of my children have started with a chill, aches and cold after getting soaked to the skin. We’ll have to see if she loses her perfect attendance for illness after the weekend.

Tell the schools to get a grip, why are blazers more important than the education? Who are teachers to decide to force this outdated item of clothing upon us? This is the kind of conflict you want is it? Evidently so with your contentious dismissive attitude.

Do you work in a school? Does it really surprise you that even parents who value education lose respect for so-called professions that assume power to mandate outside of their professional area and then behave so contemptuously of others?

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Yawn. This is exactly what the teachers are getting bogged down with rather than teaching. Follow the rules or vote with your feet or your wallet and send your kid off somewhere else.

Lilactimes · 14/03/2026 13:24

Darkdiamond · 14/03/2026 06:35

I am a teacher and I love this.

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I am a parent and I also love this

Passingthrough123 · 14/03/2026 13:27

CaptainMyCaptain · 14/03/2026 13:03

You were not told that in your training. I do not believe you.

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I've just seen on another active thread that same poster claim to be a trained librarian too. My, they have been busy with their studies! 😂

hopspot · 14/03/2026 13:27

OrdinaryMagicOfAcorns · 14/03/2026 13:01

Then teachers can carry on looking forward to parents getting very annoyed with their arrogance.

I actually retrained as a teacher myself. There’s no way I was going to join a profession where I was told in training that what I could do did not matter, and I instead needed to spend more time socialising with other teachers in a staff room, where most of the conversation was about how shit parents are. Parents have to work nowadays, often in low paid jobs in shitty conditions to work around kids, only to have teachers treat g them like dirt.

Spending time in the staff room can be a useful way of developing relationships with other staff and improving well being. I know myself that taking a short break away from the children helps me to feel energised for the afternoon.

You are showing contempt for the teachers. Enforcing uniform is not showing contempt.

Daygloboo · 14/03/2026 13:27

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 13/03/2026 20:36

I work in an independent school, the entitlement is outstanding. They fuck up constantly with their kids and then backtrack and try and get their own way. I’m fed up with them.

Every tom.dick and harriet goes there now.

SometimesInTheFall2 · 14/03/2026 13:29

Sweetbeansandmochi · 13/03/2026 22:42

There has been an unfortunate shift from universally ‘free at the point of access’ education being:

Seen as a route to broaden opportunities beyond those who have the financial means to access it
A privilege
A hub of engagement, contribution and connection

To school is a consumer activity where teachers (school staff) must service the expectations of a growing number of parents who are vocal and vicious and also unreasonable in their demands.

I wish we could actually have a proper campaign where instead of pretending it can be more than it is - express that in fact, school needs to do less.

School cannot ever meet all the needs of all the people all the time.
Your child cannot expect to like every teacher and every teaching style.
It’s actually quite a brutal place because you know what - humans can be cruel and it’s full of humans.
There are rules. Because you can’t organise large numbers of people without rules.
And there is no social group where contravening those rules don’t result in consequences.
And school is not the place for unconditional love or potty training or teaching your child to use cutlery or how to brush their teeth or tie their hair in a pony tail.
it’s a conditional place aiming to get people to a basic level of literacy and numeracy.
And guess what you might never have used Pythagorus theory - but my neighbour who trained to be an astronaut and went to a mainstream comprehensive - well he probably has, and that’s part of a general education- we don’t know what specialism’s people are going to into and we don’t want to limit people too early.
And you know what? schools are full of teachers who stay late and pay for things out of their own pocket because they think that in school there are chances to experience clubs and matches and performances and for a short time in a life - there is are boundaried choices to try and experience and not everything has to be perfect.
And Home is so important and parents are so important. Home in the place for unconditional love. But that’s not school.
And I think that would be more honest.

And it is really worrying that the Ed Sec's long quotation at the end of the Guardian article simply reinforces the rhetoric about school being just here to serve, and doesn't say anything about shared responsibilities.

Restlessdreams1994 · 14/03/2026 13:30

A lot of parents are incredibly selfish and entitled these days and are raising their kids to be the same way. I feel sorry for the teachers. Where I am, the ones who complain the most are the ones that make the least effort to actually parent their kids and then kick off if staff dare to say anything even remotely negative about their child’s attitude or behaviour. Everything is about them and their child’s needs with no concern for how it affects other children or even the staff. The kids grow up with no respect for anyone else thinking they are the centre of universe and can do no wrong, then can’t hold a job down as adults because they can’t deal with following any kind of rules.

It’s very sad, and what’s worse is that these parents think they are doing a great job teaching their kids to “stand up for themselves”.

Daygloboo · 14/03/2026 13:32

Restlessdreams1994 · 14/03/2026 13:30

A lot of parents are incredibly selfish and entitled these days and are raising their kids to be the same way. I feel sorry for the teachers. Where I am, the ones who complain the most are the ones that make the least effort to actually parent their kids and then kick off if staff dare to say anything even remotely negative about their child’s attitude or behaviour. Everything is about them and their child’s needs with no concern for how it affects other children or even the staff. The kids grow up with no respect for anyone else thinking they are the centre of universe and can do no wrong, then can’t hold a job down as adults because they can’t deal with following any kind of rules.

It’s very sad, and what’s worse is that these parents think they are doing a great job teaching their kids to “stand up for themselves”.

Agree

Fetaface · 14/03/2026 13:33

And the false accusations that teachers have to face too. Being falsely accused of all manner of things. This is also posted on the local facebook groups and X teacher at Y school being a b*ch or a c*t and the teacher cannot defend themselves. Parents should face legal consequences for that.

justasking111 · 14/03/2026 14:00

Friend teaches in a farming area. Any busy times on the farm the kids are expected to dump school. It's shocking.

There are some batshit parents at a private school locally. My friend is one. She was at the school regularly complaining about something. Her child just wasn't bright. Classes of eight children he still failed or had bad results in his GCSEs.

Differentforgirls · 14/03/2026 14:02

Womanofcustard · 14/03/2026 10:07

I think in the past, parents were ignored by schools, ‘we know best how to educate your child’ etc. And that attitude is still there - we’re re the professionals. Plus the enforcement of ridiculous rules, teaching them about ‘being in the wrong body’.
Sometimes respect needs to be earned.

Every thread a trans hater has to mention them. Jeezo. 😞

Mummyoflittledragon · 14/03/2026 14:02

My dd is at an independent, started in year 9, and some of the comments don’t surprise me about fee paying parents. One of her friend’s mums emailed obscenities and used the most foul language to the Head when he politely informed the mum her dc would be better doing BTECs (which school recently introduced) rather than A levels. I think she also screamed‎ down the phone as well. Another parent was upfront that she’d emailed the school almost 30 times in a 2 week period about her 2 children. I sat there trying to not look like a gold fish as this was discussed in front of me.

The couple of times I have ever complained to schools (both state) were for legitimate reasons, such as the head when dd was in primary school trying to force my dd into swimming with no adequate spotting. Dd has a seizure condition, where her heart stops beating. The pressure was immense and in the end the class teacher, who was very supportive of dd and me, watched dd herself for the half hour. Had I known the proper process, I would have escalated this to the governors etc as I ended up sending a series of very circular emails to the head, who wouldn’t budge.

Edit - to add, I was on the WhatsApp groups of both state and subsequently private parents. A few of the state school parents were very vocal and complained about a bunch of stuff. On joining the year 9 private parents group, I was relieved to see zero complaints… also about the same number of parents as it was just the same group from primary school. Dd is now in 6th form. I don’t think anything has been said on it since the group was renamed from year 11 to 6th form.

WearyAuldWumman · 14/03/2026 14:12

Onemoremakesthree · 13/03/2026 22:09

Rural secondary… on top of what PPs have mentioned, I’m also sick of the daily “my dad says I don’t need GCSEs”/“my dad says school is a waste of time”/“why do I need to learn this to work on my farm”
It baffles me why any parent wouldn’t want to inspire and encourage their kids to be the best they can be

I worked in a mixed area - farms on the periphery of the catchment. The very few farmer's children worked very hard. Other business owners however...

One boy informed me he had no reason to work at school - he'd be inheriting his dad's business and his grandfather's house. (He had a sister. She worked hard...she had to - nothing being left to her.)

WearyAuldWumman · 14/03/2026 14:14

wobblychristmastree · 13/03/2026 22:21

Oh everything. Absolutely everything.

the play is too long, my child didn’t get a part, my child has a big part and has to memorise lines, my child isn’t being stretched, my child’s 1:1 isn’t superglued to him, the teacher doesn’t know who I am, i don’t like the tone/sound of the teachers voice, the words of the traditional hymns include reference to Jesus blood (not sure what ranting at the teacher about that one was useful), not enough PE, the children got wet at forest school
its endless, all prefixed with “poor dc”
these people have too much time on their hands

oh my absolutely favourite , the parent who said she was in tears because her child’s wellies got wet at forest school.

(for context I am a parent and nothing to do with teaching or education)

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I was a PTC (Department and Faculty Head) in a Scottish secondary.

A parent wrote me a letter of complaint: according to her, one of my teachers had given her "unfriendly look" at parents' evening.