Most people have strong opinions about issues like childcare, education, and the overall school system.

After all, few things are more important than ensuring that everything possible is being done to safely and effectively nurture the next generation of children as they go through what is arguably the most critical phase of their lives.

That said, of all the individuals ready to critique various aspects of education, few have made as much of an impact as a retired teacher who went viral a few years ago.

This educator, Lisa Roberson, wrote an open letter in 2017, which was published in the Augusta Chronicle. Her words continue to fuel discussions about whether parents or teachers are responsible for the current issues perceived within the school system.

It’s worth noting that this letter was written before the pandemic, during a time when no major changes had yet been made to adapt education for COVID.

Many of the changes implemented during that challenging period received mixed reactions from the public, highlighting the strong opinions people hold about the education system and potential solutions to its problems.

For Lisa Roberson, however, the issue does not lie with teachers – as has been suggested in certain circles in recent years – but with the parents of the children themselves…

“As a retired teacher, I am sick of people who know nothing about public schools or have not been in a classroom recently deciding how to fix our education system,” Lisa wrote in her letter.

“The teachers are not the problem! Parents are the problem! They are not teaching their children manners, respect or even general knowledge of how to get along with others.”

“The children come to school in shoes that cost more than the teacher’s entire outfit, but have no pencil or paper. Who provides them? The teachers often provide them out of their own pockets.”

“When you look at schools that are “failing,” look at the parents and students. Do parents come to parent nights? Do they talk with teachers regularly? Do they make sure their children are prepared by having the necessary supplies? Do they make sure their children do their homework?”

“Do they have working telephone numbers? Do the students take notes in class? Do they do their homework? Do the students listen in class, or are they the sources of class disruptions?”

“When you look at these factors, you will see that it is not schools that are failing but the parents. Teachers cannot do their jobs and the parents’ job. Until parents step up and do their job, nothing is going to get better!”

Unsurprisingly, the letter sparked a lot of conversation, raising some important points that deserve serious discussion.

What do you think about the letter? Are parents to blame? Or is the full responsibility with the teachers? Share your thoughts in the comments.