One thing I’ve seen too many times is parents treating teachers like we work a service desk at a store. I’ll never forget one mother who emailed me for the first time, already threatening to run to the school board. The problem? Her child had an assignment missing. Turns out, the kid never turned it in. Not late. Not half-done. Just didn’t do it.
I always accept late work. No penalty. Just get it done. But this student didn’t even try. Instead of asking nicely, the parent demanded. And when I asked her to show some respect, my administrator jumped in—at me. Not at the parent. He told me to fix my email signature so people know how to talk to me.
Blame The Teacher, Please The Parent
That moment stuck with me. It wasn’t the first time. Won’t be the last. Schools now look at parents like paying customers. If parents fuss, teachers must bend. If a kid fails, teachers must explain themselves. If a student doesn’t do the work, maybe we gave the wrong work. We’re told, “Make them happy.” “Keep them engaged.” “Don’t upset the parents.”
Translation? “I don’t want angry emails. Make it stop.”
Why This Makes No Sense
I hate to break it to everyone. Teaching isn’t selling phones or coffee. I’m not here for five-star ratings. Sometimes kids fail. Sometimes they need to hear “no.” Learning isn’t a smooth, happy ride all the time.
It gets harder when the customer service idea creeps in. It flips the job upside down. Suddenly the teacher must fix everything. If a parent shouts, smooth it over. If a kid refuses to work, make the work more fun. If grades are low, find a way to pass them. If parents complain, just fix it.
No Choice, No Trade
In real customer service, the customer picks you. They choose your store or your café. They can take their money somewhere else. And there’s an exchange—money for product or service. If you’re rude, they leave. If they’re rude, you can refuse to serve them.
In schools, the family doesn’t really choose. Most families send kids to the local public school. It’s free, but they must attend. Kids can’t just not show up. So, the “customer” isn’t buying anything. There’s no exchange. There’s only the teacher and the student—together, no matter what.
Who Competes With Us? TikTok
Some kids don’t want what we’re giving. They don’t want fractions. Or the cell parts. Or grammar. They’d rather scroll TikTok. Make funny videos. Schools don’t sell a cool product that kids line up for. We sell learning. Sometimes it’s boring. Sometimes it’s tough. That’s real.
When we act like the kid is always right, we set them up for worse. The real world won’t bend every time you stomp your foot. Sometimes you fail. Sometimes you redo the work. Sometimes you take feedback. That’s life.
Parents Want Comfort
Parents, many times, just want the grade. Not the learning. I’ve seen it. A kid does no work, then Mom or Dad shows up, wanting answers for a failing grade. They don’t care about the missing homework. They care about the C that should be an A.
If we run schools like stores, we’d give them what they want. Everyone gets an A. Everyone smiles. Nobody learns a thing.
Administrators Take The Easy Way
Teachers know when a parent crosses the line. We see the angry emails. The threats. The blame. Instead of backing us up, leaders often tell us, “Fix it.” Tweak your tone. Soften your reply. Accept late work. Don’t push too hard. We keep the peace, but at what cost?
We lose respect. We lose standards. Kids learn that deadlines mean nothing. Effort means nothing. Teachers are punching bags for everyone’s stress.
Hard Truth About Good Teaching
Good teaching is not always fun. Sometimes students struggle. Sometimes they’re bored. Sometimes they fail. That’s normal. It’s part of the deal.
We can’t control every parent. We can’t control every child. But we can hold a line. We can say, “Here’s the work. Here’s the deadline. Here’s the grade.” And when things go wrong, we can have honest talks. Not threats. Not blackmail. Not empty “customer always right” nonsense.
Respect The Work
Most teachers I know give second chances. They bend rules. They stay late. They email parents back at 9 p.m. They care. But we’re not salespeople. We’re not here to be liked every moment of the day. We’re here to teach. And that means setting limits and saying no.
No free A’s. No last-minute fixes for work that never came in. No pretending that learning is easy or perfect.
Schools can’t run like a business. The “product” isn’t coffee or a new pair of shoes. The “product” is growth. Sometimes that means struggle. Sometimes it means disappointment. Sometimes it means a student faces a hard truth.
Teachers see that as part of the job. We wish more parents and leaders did too.
