When this week’s “Time” magazine arrived, I couldn’t avoid a visceral reaction to its cover story, which was teased as: “What Teachers Hate About Parents.” Having been a teacher in a previous incarnation, I still have the short list.
It remains as follows:
*Shallow end of the gene pool over-represented.
*The MIAs. Always the ones who can least afford to be no-shows.
*PTA/ “Back-to-School Night” suck-ups.
*Those who never got the memo directing them to teach civilization skills at home.
*”Gifted” attitudes. Worse yet, it’s already generational.
*Those offering more resistance than reinforcement at home.
*Those who think nothing of signing off on phony excused absences – and letting somebody else (you) worry about making up for what their child missed.
*Those who don’t care that their kids show up at school pushing the dress code envelope on the gangsta, strumpet or generic slob look.