How Not to Be a Parent: An Email Exchange With a Parent that Just Makes Me Wanna Hit Somebody

I'm posting the following email exchange between a colleague of mine and a parent as a textbook example of piss-poor parenting. I wonder what Herculean efforts we teachers are supposed to offer when parents are absentee, skip town, don't pay any attention to their kids and offer no direction to their own children.

I don't think I'm being hyperbolic in saying that this is the kind of crap parenting that is destroying our society.

Original Email
Dear Ms. StudentMom,

I would once again like to schedule an appointment with you to discuss Armando's behavior in my class. Although he is currently passing my class (66% D), his behavior is once again becoming disruptive and disrespectful. Today, while I was proctoring an AP Exam for seniors, Armando was removed from the classroom by Mr. Tieche, who was covering my class because Armando got into a confrontation with another student in class. Mr. Tieche had to forcibly remove him from the class to prevent him from fighting. This is the latest in a string of discipline issues that I have had to adress with Armando in the past couple weeks.

Ms. STUDENTMOM, I am going to be a bit blunt here - Armando's situation has reached a crisis point. His current grades are four F's and two D's. Your son is making very poor decisions and associating himself with very destructive people. Armando needs serious, professional intervention. He has already put his high school graduation in serious jeopardy and he could be headed for worse trouble.

Ms. STUDENTMOM, I want the best for your son and I am willing to help in any way that I can. I would strongly encourage you to contact any of the counselors or administrators listed on this email for information and resources that may help you get Armando headed back in the right direction.

I am available to meet Mondays and Thursdays after school in the Library.

Sincerely,
Mr. Hewitson.

Her reponse

Mr. Hewitson,

I cannot meet with you and the administrative staff again, and to be honest I don't think any of the previous meeting we have had have been very much help. I'm frustrated as I'm sure you are. This is the first time that I heard he has been associating himself with destructive people. Who are they and why would you say they are destructive?

StudentMom