Schoolhouse | TheDaddyBlogger.comI started the day with the article Teachers vs parents: Round two over at CNN.com, which of course tracks back to the original article What teachers really want to tell parents.

Make sure to read them both. My thoughts are not on the articles themselves but on the discussion at large: Teachers and Parents.

In all, I think the major issue is…well, you will have to either jump to the end or read through.

First, the stats — since I do think our backgrounds and situations play a role in our opinions. I am obviously a parent otherwise this site would not make a lot of sense. My parents were teachers for many years and I have a lot of family that are teachers and school administrators as well, ranging from grade school to college. This does not qualify me to speak for them or teachers at all, it only colors my view due to seeing the personal lives of teachers. Lastly, I am not pointing out right and wrong — I am simply a believer in productive arguments to draw out the best possible outcomes.

The two articles I have included fall into the greatest trap I see in the issue — the specific example. We are all trained to support arguments with specific examples, but in this case I find it can be detrimental. “I had one teacher that…”, “This one dad couldn’t believe that…”, “…then the lawyer showed up.” Find a school and I can guarantee you will find this and more in every single one. Parents come across one bad apple and cast their accusations on the lot. Teachers deal with A LOT of parents in a career — the number of crazed parents has to be staggering — so they are all crazy parents. In the article I noted above, What teachers really want to tell parents, Ron Clark, the author, unintentionally hit the nail on the head by saying “trust us” — which is the core of the issue — Parents and teachers may trust the singular YOU, but not the collective YOU.

No wonder both sides are up in arms.

Parents are frustrated with bad teachers. Teachers are frustrated with bad parents. Each is looking to fix the other. Odd thing happens when both sides live in glass houses and are throwing stones. Hint: No one wins except the glass company making money on the replacements (think other countries improving their school systems and those students replacing ours in skilled jobs).

Teaching is a profession like any other. I am not arguing the day to day roles and responsibilities but the fact that the people that hold these positions exhibit the same traits as those in the general private sector. Why? Because teachers are people too. You have your overachievers, just-enoughers and underachievers. Same holds true for parent classifications. Instead of tacking the best from each group, we focus on the worst and hold them up as examples of the entire set.

Unfortunately, outside factors also play a role. Teacher contract disputes and unions are played out in local papers and news channels all the time – this does not help the situation, especially in a down economy. Arguments over pay raises, healthcare, length of workdays and union involvement — all items that do not leave a favorable impression.

No, this does not help at all.

Another outside factor is the hyper-personalization of the world around us. Customized products and services abound. So why can’t a teacher put together the exact plan my child needs to get the best education? A class of 30, all with different learning styles and capabilities would require 30 unique lesson plans and delivery styles. This is just not possible in a classroom, but getting harder not to expect it. Something has to give.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, teachers are dealing with children. Sounds simple, but the truth is that parents are protective of their children and do funny things to that end. A defense? A reason? An excuse? Not at all. Simply being a protective parent doesn’t make it right, but nature is a funny thing.

In all, I think the major issue is stereotyping. One bad seed (or many bad in some cases) are pushing two sides further apart, where there shouldn’t be two sides to begin with — both “sides” have the same goal. I know it is easier said than done, but if we all learn — teachers and parents alike — to give just a little and think objectively – not defensively — I think we can do great things for the students of today and tomorrow.

Parents care. Teachers care. Let’s figure it out.