Letters: Parents need to support teachers

When I was in school, I did what the teacher required me to do. Why? I knew that if I did not, my parents would back the teacher. They took the time to meet the teachers and attend PTA meetings.

My parents meant for me to learn while in school and agreed on the discipline that would be needed if I did not do my part in the learning process. Any objections were noted and dealt with — not usually in my favor.

My wife and I used the same approach with our daughter and experienced almost no problems while she was in school. Her second-grade teacher told us 90 percent of the parents worked with her on discipline problems. Twenty years later, I asked a teacher at the same school how many parents were supportive and was told about 10 percent to 20 percent.

If parents will not teach their children to behave, teachers do not stand a chance.

This story was originally published November 4, 2015 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Letters: Parents need to support teachers."