An Open Letter to Moms and Dads Who Don't Care (From a Disillusioned Teacher)

I have been your children’s teacher for the past year. You have lovely and intelligent children curious to learn many things. Sadly I am resigning and will be seeking a new teaching position elsewhere. Why?

In the classroom your children and I share many precious moments of learning, laughter and a warm relationship. At times I have heard them cry silently alone in the back of the room. I have held them in my arms and whispered, “You are precious and loved. Don’t let anyone hurt you or tell you that you are not important. Your mommy and daddy really love and care for you even if they don’t show it often.”

Many nights I have returned home and often cried myself in compassion for the lack of love and attention that so many of you parents fail to show towards these precious creatures of God. I cannot understand how you could have given life to these beautiful children and then turn your back on them.

I have devoted my life to being a teacher. I thought what better way to live a joyous life than to help children learn and grow into wholesome adults. I was an idealist thinking that all parents loved an cared for their children. How sad that only a few really do.

During the past year only one or two of you have inquired about your children’s progress. On report card day you send someone else to pick up the report because you are too busy.
When I call you or write notes, you rarely respond. If I try to discipline the children in an effort to have them study better, you threaten me to back off or else.

The saddest part is when I see some of your children coming to school without having eaten breakfast because no one cares whether they have eaten or not. Seeing their unkempt appearance, I ask them when was the last time they changed their clothes or had a bath. With eyes fixed to the floor, they respond once a week or more because no one at home asks them to bath or prepares clean clothes for them to wear. The worst are the children who have lice in their hair.

It grieves me to see how callous and selfish so many of you are. You have the gall to give birth to children then treat them as lowly beasts. You spend more time in the poker parlors wasting your money or engage in equally wasteful activities while your children languish for attention and affection.
Your conversation with them consists of shouts and commands. They are a burden on you.

You cannot plead ignorance about proper parenting when there are many caring parents who are willing to help you to become concerned parents. It simply comes down to a basic fact: you are a failure in life and are causing your children to become failures also.
You are an unpardonable child-abuser.

You even show your stupidity in criticizing all efforts made to guide your children by others. Despite the efforts the school does to uplift your children, you constantly tear down their self-esteem.

I am not leaving because I am unhappy with my salary or working conditions or because I don’t enjoy teaching your children. I am leaving because of you. You are destroying me as well. May God open your eyes before it is too late. Your children are a reflection of you. Help them and help me to help them. Show me you care; work with me. and I will not leave!