Elementary school teachers

Lisa Rivera said:I realize I’m just dropping this in out of nowhere, but... a ten-year-old child simply has no business playing around with fireworks.🙂

I completely agree—though I don't know any other moms besides myself who have actually dug their heels in on this... In a perfect world, the kids would be lighting those fireworks only when Dad is right there to supervise.

Kimberly Robinson2 said:How on earth was I supposed to know?? 🤷
I knew about the beach trip because there were three different parent meetings about it.

And where exactly did I say she was the only one to blame? 🤷
We are talking about the basic principle of supply and demand here!

It was nice of her to give him money, sure, but she didn't need to pull him aside again the next day and ask if he brought it, knowing full well I couldn't give him anything since I didn't have any. And if he told her I'd come down to the school... Well, since she was asking him, I ended up heading over there to find him.

Does McDonald's even have fries for $1.75? 😕🤷

And where does it say that I don't realize I'm in the wrong? 🤷

The kid TOOK the money even though she told him he had to pay it back.
Period. He didn't have to take it, but he did. Nobody forced his hand!
You should've just settled it with her and been done with it.

Charles Murphy6 said:Do Teachers decide everything themselves?
I honestly find this whole situation completely baffling.
In my case, the worksheets don't exactly cost me extra out of pocket $57 because the final bill just ends up being lower overall.
The teachers collect the cash and then hand it over to the accounting department, but they keep a little cut for themselves.
Isn't that basically just stealing from parents???

No, that’s just a tiny little way to compensate them for the constant headaches, because, oh boy, 🙄, working with kids is incredibly draining.☕

Terry Ramos60 said:

Is there anything more profoundly enchanting than witnessing the delicate, fluttering grace of a butterfly dancing through a sun-drenched meadow? One cannot help but wonder if such fragile beauty isn't a small, moving miracle sent to remind us of the splendor inherent in our natural world! Does it not stir the very soul to see such vibrant colors swirling amidst the wildflowers? kaže:
Is there anything truly more rewarding than the calling of an educator? To wake up each morning knowing that you have the profound opportunity to shape the minds of the next generation—is that not the most fulfilling sensation imaginable? It is simply wonderful to be a teacher!🙂

Is it not truly heartbreaking to observe how little appreciation is afforded to our educators in this day and age? One cannot help but wonder, as we witness the shifting tides of social values, why the very individuals who shape the minds of our future generations are treated with such profound indifference! Is it not a tragedy that those dedicated professionals, who pour their entire hearts into the classrooms of our great nation, find themselves facing such a staggering lack of respect from the public?
But absolutely not!
How can one possibly expect children to offer respect when they aren't even receiving it from their own parents? Is it not a fundamental truth that respect is a mirror, reflecting exactly what is modeled within the walls of the home? If the foundation of authority is built upon dismissal rather than dignity, how can we wonder why the younger generation struggles to honor those in charge?

Have you ever seen that classic cartoon floating around the internet? You know the one! It depicts a scene from about thirty years ago where a child comes home with failing grades, and the parent immediately begins to scold the kid. But then, you look at how much everything has shifted in modern America, and the joke flips entirely on its head! Nowadays, in that exact same situation, it’s the parent who is frantically demanding answers from the teacher! Isn't it truly fascinating how much our societal dynamics have transformed over the decades?

They have nobody to blame for their loss of status but themselves.

Melissa Gonzalez2 said:People will defend their own no matter how wrong they are. ☕

I have been fascinated by this for a very long time...🙂

James Perez54 said:No, that’s just a tiny little way to compensate them for the constant headaches, because, oh boy, 🙄, working with kids is incredibly draining.☕

No, it isn't really the kids that make it difficult... It's dealing with their primitive parents.☕

Or we could put it this way: a teacher shouldn't be handing out cash to a child. Her mindset should have been—everyone has money, everyone eats, except for perhaps one kid who has his own sandwiches and water (so he isn't starving), and I am not the Red Cross, so I have zero reason to give a little one money (clearly, I can't lend it to them, since as they say, you don't lend money to a child, you lend it to their parents).

Look, personally, after everything I’ve seen and read here, I would have done the exact same thing. I mean, why should I care how that child felt at the moment? (He can go discuss that with his mother). Why should I care if other kids tease him for it? (That is simply a matter of their own lack of discipline). Otherwise, it all ends up in that "help the poor soul at your own expense" cliché. Honestly, I'm curious—if this situation had been presented on an American forum, what kind of comments would we be seeing...

I honestly can't let this pass without pointing out that we've already burned through twelve pages discussing the whole saga involving $7.00, McDonald's, the teacher, and that "what-is-this-even" situation. It feels like we're barely scratching the surface; I suspect there's a much deeper, more complex backstory here that we haven't even begun to grasp.

Btw. Joshua Parker11, any chance you're actually that teacher in question? 😬

Kimberly Robinson2 said:We didn't get any parental notice about this!
There was this little scrap of paper—I don't have a photo because he already turned it back into the school—where you're supposed to sign off to give permission for the kid to go here and there for a certain amount of money. It didn't mention anything about going to McDonald's, but everything else was laid out right there.

Furthermore, I really don't think a mother should take a child's account of what happened at McDonald's at face value. I see plenty of you writing about how the child didn't ask to borrow money, but... are you actually sure about that???

I'll find out more on Monday. Once I hear the teachers' version of events, too. For now, I know my kid doesn't "beg"—he doesn't even really grasp the concept. He’s just the type who accepts things if someone offers them (like when he's over at a friend's house). Actually, I just found out that the first time he was at a buddy's place, he ate a fried egg... he wouldn't touch an egg like that at home to save his life! But there, he loved it...😍 Though that's nothing compared to this situation. Even at our place, if friends come over and we have food, I offer it to them.

.......... and he just sits there giving those sad looks to the others eating their hamburgers, wishing someone had helped him feel equal to everyone else so he wouldn't feel less than them......

And how exactly am I supposed to help that kid so he doesn't have to stare sadly at happy families? He sees them everywhere—moms and dads taking their kids to the store to pick out treats and gifts, getting them something nice for Christmas, while he won't! Because he doesn't have a family. It's not his fault, and it's not anyone else's fault—it's mine. I'm the one who didn't want my kid to deal with constant fighting and crying... the one who ended up divorcing his father because he didn't care about the kids, only about his own mother and doing whatever she wanted... yeah, the kid isn't to blame, but seeing this, seeing how he looks at all the other children who get everything they want, it's heartbreaking. Though, personally, I didn't actually see him looking sad.

The only thing is, for Saint Nicholas, he asked for ONLY candy and firecrackers! Nothing else. He got a little gift bag for Saint Nicholas ($3.25 there was a Saint Nicholas themed bag at Walmart with a few chocolate balls for the tree)... and he was absolutely thrilled, though I didn't buy the firecrackers. He got a few tears in his eyes since he couldn't find them, but I just told him I bought them and it just wasn't time for them yet. And that kept the peace.

Well, I suppose there isn't much she can do while he's sitting there daydreaming about perfect families when his own is falling apart...
Still, she could have helped by taking him to McDonald's. And she did try... perhaps a bit clumsily, if I'm being honest, but I truly believe her intentions were pure... really they were.

I'm genuinely curious if that teacher follows this forum...🤣 it would be quite something if she actually showed up!!😁

James Perez54 said:They have nobody to blame for their loss of status but themselves.

But I’m curious—could you elaborate on what you mean by that, exactly?

Kimberly Robinson2 said:I think you just don't get how things work for some of us... I don't have a job, I don't have any steady US dollars coming in! If I have anything, it's from selling stuff on eBay, but I haven't moved anything lately. It’s easy to talk when you actually have money to spare. I live with my boyfriend and he is drowning in debt—he had it before we moved in together, but we thought, "hey, we can handle this"—except we both have four kids total between us that we're still paying child support for! (I get my portion of the benefits, but he doesn't, so it all comes out of our joint account.) We're at the point where despite being in love, we're considering breaking up because we just can't make ends meet. 😢...He'd go back to his family, and I'd be forced to move back in with my ex, who used to be abusive and would hit me. That's my life. So don't come at me about $6.75! 🙂

because she knew the kid would be staring at the floor while the other children were eating (if I recall correctly from a previous post, she mentioned she didn't have any cash on her, which means she *did* have the money).

Well, I stare at the floor, too—plenty of times. That's just how life goes. And yeah, I did have $17 in my purse, but that was meant for groceries. For dinner.

Second, if I didn't have $6.75 in my pocket, I wouldn't have sent my child on that trip at all just to put them in that kind of embarrassing situation.

I paid for the trip ($15) before they even found out about that infamous trip to McDonald's.
So what now, am I supposed to ask for a refund? I did what I had to do...

Furthermore, what I resent most is that after everything happened, she let the kid spend days waiting for the teacher to ask about the money, while she spent her time on this forum trashing the teacher, the school, and the trip fees, instead of just going to the school the very next day, returning the money to the teacher, and having a conversation to ensure it never happens again.

It wasn't days; I went there the next morning to get the money and sent it the following day. I am NOT trashing the teacher—I said she was fine otherwise—but until I actually speak with her, I can't say anything definitive. Right now, my only grievance is that she made the little guy beg for money. I have my cell phone, and my school is only 60m from my apartment—it's a one-minute walk. But I didn't go immediately because I had other obligations. Am I really expected to justify every single minute of my life? 🤷

No, she sent him to the movies after being out of school for a day or two—just so the kid wouldn't feel left out, right?—but apparently, it’s perfectly fine if he ends up isolated at her McDonald's because of her own mistake rather than the teacher's. I make sure he goes on every single field trip, including that summer camp from $400, yet she won't even pack $1.75 for him for ice cream, even though she knows all the kids will be heading to McDonald's.

They HAD to go to the movies! Go ahead, ask the school why... And he doesn't go on "every" trip. So far, he's only had one freebie. As for summer camp, his stepfather promised to pay for it. He gave him $133 so far, paid the first installment, and now I'll be doing the second one next week...
If we need to back out of the beach trip, we can—they refund everything if you cancel.

Yeah, sure, the teacher is the villain here.🙄
The teacher did the right thing by giving the kid money for a Happy Meal, but I do resent her asking for that $6 back.
Honestly, I see a lot of hypocrisy going on here. You're all attacking the teacher for asking for a measly $6, yet you're totally fine with the mom because you assume $7.00 is a massive amount of money for her. How do you know that $6 isn't also a huge deal to the teacher?$7.00

I've already made my stance clear on this. My only issue is that she didn't call me into the school immediately instead of badgering my son for cash. She could have just told him—perfectly fine, really—that she was just lending it to him and would settle it with his mother. That's where the problem lies.

I’d honestly rather just go hungry that day and give the money to my kid instead, you know? $17 That's plenty for a pound of potatoes. Just make some wedges—or whatever cheap side dish you're feeling—toss in a little flour, and boom, you've got a solid dinner. Plus, you'll still have change left over.$10 For a kid... or maybe even a teenager.
Sending a kid on a field trip without any cash? Not even a single buck? That just doesn't sit right with me.
Maybe some people don't... but I honestly feel like that isn't even a factor here, you know?

Honestly, my only gripe so far is that she was constantly bugging him for cash.

She wasn't begging him for cash... "begging" implies asking someone to just hand over their money as a gift. She was just lending the kid some money. I'm sure she had good intentions, too—plus, as a parent, you've gotta teach them that this is a loan, not a handout. You can't just expect people to give you free money, right?

I’ve already made my stance clear on this. My only gripe is that she didn't call me to school right away instead of just begging a kid for cash.

Look, he’s only six and he isn't slow... I just lent him some cash, the kid ate it up, and I'll pay it back later. Where's the big deal?
If you really hate it that much—like, she actually stepped up for your kid because she didn't want them feeling left out or bummed—maybe just tell her calmly? Just let her know you're fine with the little one skipping it and that she can just sit back and watch. Simple, right?
If they really didn't give us a heads-up... yeah, I'm with you. That's just not right. But even without that notice, shouldn't it be a given to give a kid some extra cash when they're heading out on a field trip?

She could've just told him she was only lending it to him and that she'd sort things out with her mom later. But hey, that's where it all falls apart, right?

I don't see the issue here. I lend you something, tell you to pay me back... why involve a third party? Even a ten-year-old gets that. It’s not always because someone is broke or struggling. Anyone can find themselves in a pinch—like forgetting your wallet at a Starbucks or something—and a friend steps in to cover you. You just pay them back later, right?

Laura74, did the little guy get some popcorn when he went to the movies? 🍿

copperheron18 said:No, it isn't really the kids that make it difficult... It's dealing with their primitive parents.☕

Or we could put it this way: a teacher shouldn't be handing out cash to a child. Her mindset should have been—everyone has money, everyone eats, except for perhaps one kid who has his own sandwiches and water (so he isn't starving), and I am not the Red Cross, so I have zero reason to give a little one money (clearly, I can't lend it to them, since as they say, you don't lend money to a child, you lend it to their parents).

Look, personally, after everything I’ve seen and read here, I would have done the exact same thing. I mean, why should I care how that child felt at the moment? (He can go discuss that with his mother). Why should I care if other kids tease him for it? (That is simply a matter of their own lack of discipline). Otherwise, it all ends up in that "help the poor soul at your own expense" cliché. Honestly, I'm curious—if this situation had been presented on an American forum, what kind of comments would we be seeing...

If she felt that bad about it, she could have just treated that one single child at her own expense, rather than lining the parents' pockets and, even worse, putting the little one in such an awkward position.
And if the parents insist on returning the money, fine; if not, also fine.

This is a textbook example of someone being rigid and lacking spontaneity, and people like that shouldn't be working in education.

nimbletrucker132 said:I honestly can't let this pass without pointing out that we've already burned through twelve pages discussing the whole saga involving $7.00, McDonald's, the teacher, and that "what-is-this-even" situation. It feels like we're barely scratching the surface; I suspect there's a much deeper, more complex backstory here that we haven't even begun to grasp.

Btw. Joshua Parker11, any chance you're actually that teacher in question? 😬

😁
Nah... if it were my kid, I wouldn't even bother asking for the money back. I'd rather starve for three days straight.😁
But hey, I'm totally backing the teacher on this one.

Also, if I were a parent, I'd seriously rather go hungry for three days just so my kid could have $3.25 for their field trip—especially since I KNOW they're hitting up McD's, and my kid lives for those fries.

Sure, she could have just let the money go, but here we are. It turns out the simplest solution would have been never to hand it over in the first place. I mean, if she’s out here clawing for it now, it’s obvious those $7.00 actually matter to her—she isn't exactly throwing cash into a bonfire. And if they truly meant something to her, she shouldn't have given them away at all. The kid would have eaten, and nobody would be left holding the bag (well, except maybe him, but then that becomes his issue and his parents' issue for failing to provide basic funds)

So many people in this country hold jobs they aren't even qualified for or capable of performing. This goes way beyond just professors in some hypothetical scenario, and honestly, we could debate that for hours, but that’s beside the point.

Joshua Parker11 said:God.
Let me repeat: you knew they were going to McDonald's, and if you didn't have the extra $1.75 for ice cream, you shouldn't have let him go (because like you said, you know exactly how much it sucks to have to stare at the floor). The teacher would have refunded that $15 you paid, rather than putting the kid in that position. You knew what would happen—that all the other kids would be eating and buying stuff while your little guy stood there on the sidelines. You could have prevented that.
And honestly, in my opinion, the biggest fault here is yours. The teacher told the kid to pay her back instead of you walking over to that school just 60 meters away (literally a five-minute walk) to return the money or sending it via the kid that same day, so she wouldn't have to keep pulling on his sleeve. You opened this whole drama up and expected everyone to just jump on her and her actions.
And yeah, you are trashing the teacher and all the teachers at the school, which is pretty obvious from your post about the ones who just sit around in the lounge eating and drinking and barely move once the bell rings..

And again, you know that those $6.75 probably didn't mean much to the teacher compared to you. Maybe she even pulled the last $6.75 out of her own pocket for your son just so he wouldn't feel left out, and she politely told him his mom would pay her back. Maybe that money was just as tight for her as it is for you??!!

And about your little guy—if I remember right, he’s 10 now? That’s plenty old enough for you to walk him through certain situations. You basically sent him off to McDonald's without a dime in his pocket, so the least you could've done was tell him to eat the lunch you packed or just make sure he knows not to take money from strangers.
Also, this whole thing about having four kids and struggling with income? It honestly has zero to do with the topic at hand.

I really don't get why you even started this thread if you expected everyone to jump on board with your specific take. This is a forum. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, and it’s totally uncalled for to start attacking people just because they don't see things your way.

Exactly.
She actually wrote more than that herself:

If I’d known she was actually going to borrow his gear, I would’ve jumped on that swap way sooner. Why didn't I see that coming? $17 Why not just give him 30?We’d be lost without them, wouldn't we?.

I mean, there's no way she couldn't have set aside that 20 bucks, right?$10Honestly, she didn't do it because she thought the kid didn't need it. (IMO, total misstep.)
If she had the cash to give away in the first place, she can sure as hell find a way to pay her teacher back. If there's some kind of drama going on, why not just handle it at the front office? What's the point of all this mess?🤷

Honestly, I think you’re the one mostly at fault here. Instead of just heading over to that other school just five minutes away to drop off the cash—or even just sending it with the kid that same day—you had the teacher tell him to give it back? And then you come on here expecting us all to just jump on her and trash her methods? Really?

So that's how it goes... teacher borrowed some cash, kid brought the money... no big deal, right?
If anything seems unclear or if you have any issues, just touch base with the teacher later on. Sound good?

Yeah, you’re basically dragging the teacher and the whole faculty. It's pretty obvious from what you wrote about them just sitting around in the lounge eating and drinking while barely moving once the bell rings. Is that really how you see them?

Facts... you can tell she has zero respect for her teachers from the way she writes.

And again, how on earth do you even know what that teacher is thinking? $6.75 It wasn't even as big as yours. Maybe she chipped in at the end too? $6.75 It came straight out of your son's pocket just so he wouldn't feel left out. And then you had the nerve to tell him his mom should pay it back? Like maybe she actually needed that money as much as you did??!!

Of course, just because she lent her guy some cash with good intentions doesn't make her Santa Claus. Her mom isn't exactly thrilled about it either... and if she calls her out, she’ll probably never lend him a dime again. Not that anyone else will be jumping at the chance to help, either.

And what about her kid? If I'm right, he's 10—old enough to warn him about stuff like this. You basically sent him to McDonald's empty-handed. At least tell him to eat the lunch you packed or remind him not to take money from anyone. The whole thing about having four kids or struggling with money isn't even relevant here.

Maybe it is... she mentioned an ex-stepdad, so there's a dad, then an ex-stepdad, now a current stepdad... It's pretty obvious that the way she writes (not that I usually comment on grammar, mine isn't perfect either) shows someone who... how can I say this without being rude? Maybe she's just not great at communicating, struggles with people, or is dealing with some heavy life stuff, which might make parenting a bit harder for her than for others.

I don't get why you even started this thread if you expected everyone to agree with you. This is a forum; everyone’s entitled to their opinion. There's no need to attack people just because they see things differently.

Exactly... I'm with you on that. Not that we can call it a "conclusion" since we aren't objective and don't know the full story, but my gut feeling matches yours. We're definitely on the same page.😉

Joshua Parker11 said:That’s not some "tiny oversight." Like she admitted herself, Mom has this habit of constantly being oblivious to what's right in front of her.
And honestly, she totally could have planned for this. Based on everything we know, she knew a day before the trip that all the kids were heading to McDonald's.

Just run to the neighbor's or the local corner store and swap those $17 for some cash, or give the kid at least 5 or 10 bucks if that's all you can do. Just tell him you're out of cash and he'll manage.

Joshua Parker11 said:I'm with you—it's her money and she can spend it however she wants. The field trip thing is fine, but she knew they were going to McDonald's. She could've easily given him $1.75 for an ice cream while they were there; nobody was forcing a specific menu on them.
The kid is old enough now, and she should've explained that he shouldn't take money from anyone.
And yeah, she could've settled this directly with the teacher. But nope, apparently it's more important to trash her on a forum than to walk 60 meters to the school—which she claims is right there—to fix the situation instead of dragging the kid into all this drama.

She could've done anything, but she didn't.🤷

I'm just wondering: what if the kid came home miserable because they were at McDonough and everyone—all the kids and even the teacher—was eating, but he didn't have cash for an ice cream? What if everyone teased him and he felt terrible because of the bullying? Would you guys start a thread saying: "I didn't give my kid $1.75 for ice cream because I made him lunch, but now he's standing there alone getting picked on by everyone, and the teacher didn't even care because she was too busy eating her burger with the other kids while he sat there with his crackers"? She'd be such a cold person... and I really wonder if people would be trashing the teacher then.
I bet they would.
Bottom line, this whole thing was avoidable.
It wasn't. Fine. But Mom could also just own up to her mistakes and stop making such a massive drama out of it. She knowingly didn't give the kid cash, okay. The teacher offered it, okay. The kid took it, and the teacher asked for it back, okay—just go talk to the teacher, return the money, and call it a day in Canada.

Look, she doesn't work, so money doesn't just grow on trees, and we need to be sympathetic to that. Meanwhile, the teacher has money to throw around, so she doesn't need the reimbursement. The kid accepted the cash with the understanding he'd pay it back, so what's the big deal now?🤷

It's probably not even a big deal for the kid. He's likely used to stuff like this, and I doubt him getting a loan from a teacher is some huge trauma—not if people don't turn it into a massive drama.

I’m just wondering... what if my kid came home miserable because they were all at McDonald's and everyone—all the kids and even the teacher—was eating, but he didn't have cash for an ice cream bar? Imagine him standing there while everyone teases him, feeling terrible. Would people still be opening threads asking, "Should I have given my kid $1.75 for ice cream?" when I actually made him a packed lunch instead? He was just standing on the sidelines getting picked on while the teacher ignored him because she was too busy stuffing her face with a burger with the rest of the class. She couldn't care less how he felt. Talk about cold-hearted... honestly, would people be dragging the teacher just as much then? I bet they would.

Yeah... total ice queen...

Bottom line? This could've been avoided.

Yep, totally could have. Though I wouldn't call this a massive deal either.

It's not. Fine. But the mom could also look at her own mistakes instead of making such a huge drama out of it.

Ha... sounds familiar. Just said the same thing.

Look, she intentionally didn't give the kid money, okay? The teacher offered it, fine, the kid took it. The teacher asked for it back, okay—just go talk to the teacher, return the cash, and call it a day. Simple.

👍
I think that covers everything that needs to be said here. IMO.

Listen, she's not working, and money doesn't grow on trees, so we should get that. Meanwhile, the teacher has money to spare, so there's no need to pay her back. The kid accepted the money knowing he had to return it, so what's the big issue now?🤷

Are you reading my mind?😁

Kate Cox2 said:But I’m curious—could you elaborate on what you mean by that, exactly?

It's simple: there just aren't enough qualified or competent professionals working with kids.

They won't realize it until they purge the dead weight from their own ranks, but most of them just act like cowards and pretend it isn't their problem...

nimbletrucker132 said:I honestly can't let this pass without pointing out that we've already burned through twelve pages discussing the whole saga involving $7.00, McDonald's, the teacher, and that "what-is-this-even" situation. It feels like we're barely scratching the surface; I suspect there's a much deeper, more complex backstory here that we haven't even begun to grasp.

Btw. Joshua Parker11, any chance you're actually that teacher in question? 😬

You're spot on. We've only heard one side of things from someone who wasn't even there... they're just going off what their kid told them. And if the kid is shy or doesn't really open up, how can you be sure?
That’s why I can't just jump on the mother's side and join in on bashing the teacher. Instead, I'm guessing the teacher isn't some villain who lent money just to mess with a kid or squeeze every cent out of struggling parents. Why would she do that? It's more likely she had good intentions that the parent should have appreciated.
If they aren't happy with how things went down, why not just be civil? Just talk to the teacher, explain the situation, and ask her to handle things differently next time... simple as that.

some random principle that nobody even seems to understand... but whatever...
i mean, it wasn't exactly an isolated thing, but I don't really see why the teacher should have to foot the bill... though, I guess the cost is pretty low, but then again, if all the older folks chipped in, why should the kid be the exception?

James Perez54 said:Regarding grades, I am talking about actual, non-fictional student knowledge (measured by As) and you are intentionally twisting my words.

Who is to blame for the inflation of As and honors? Are parents writing the grades in the report cards? Are they threatening teachers at gunpoint?
You tell me, what's really going on here? 😁

I don't know anyone who pays for tutoring to get an A (sic!), let alone to fix an F.

By the way, I have never encountered such a massive collection of hypocrites, emotional wrecks, insecure people, and frauds (exceptions exist, obviously) as I have within the education system.
Why is that?
Back in my day (I'm 43), anyone who couldn't get into their preferred college (lower-performing students) or couldn't find a high-paying job in their field (unrelated) would regularly end up working in a school, taking out their frustrations on children.
I highly doubt things have improved since then.

Exactly. It is the parents who are constantly hovering over schools, badgering for better marks, pleading, and exerting pressure on professors, lecturing them on why their child "clearly knows more" than the curriculum suggests...

But has it occurred to you that someone might fail because they aren't paying attention, or they talk too much, or they don't concentrate? Are the teachers supposed to be held accountable for those lapses, too?

As for your claim that people enter academia just to vent their frustrations on their children because they failed at everything else—honestly, I have no comment. It sounds so pathological that it borders on being detached from reality. 😕

It seems to me you are projecting your own personal grievances through these insulting remarks toward everyone who is, or will be, an educator. I am genuinely curious: what degree did you earn, and what exactly do you do for a living that allows you to be this vitriolic toward a group of people who actually put in the work to finish their degrees just to serve society?🙄

Man, seriously, she just totally vindicated the whole profession—it’s like everyone collectively decided to just head straight to the kitchen to vent...

Mom's just playing the martyr, I guess. She's broke, but honestly, she'd probably rather spend her time collecting bottles than dealing with me arguing about it. If she gave money, she gave it. Nobody asked her to.