Today’s opinion might ruffle a few feathers, but it comes from a place of real experience — years spent teaching, coaching, administrating, and working closely with young people.
Right now, businesses are desperate to hire, but many young adults want top-tier jobs without paying their dues. It wasn’t always like this.
When my late wife Peggy and I moved to Wheeling in 1970, we knew no one. We started at the bottom — Peggy waitressed before becoming a beloved pediatric dental assistant, and I taught elementary school before bouncing between jobs until I found my footing in education. Money was tight, and although we qualified for food stamps, pride kept us from applying.
The lesson? Perseverance. Falling down, getting back up, and moving forward. It’s a mindset we learned from our parents and teachers — a mindset that seems to be slipping away from today’s youth.
Who’s to blame? Largely, it’s parents and public schools. Here’s what I believe needs to change:
Fixing the Problem: Where Public Schools Must Start
There’s no denying that chaos surrounds student discipline today. West Virginia’s “Hope Scholarship” exists for a reason — to offer families an escape to better-disciplined schools. Other states are following suit. Enrollment is dropping in public schools, and so are teaching jobs.
Here’s what needs to happen:
Parents: Stop Making Excuses
Many parents defend their children no matter how poorly they behave in school. Instead of backing teachers, they point fingers. This enables kids to continue their disrespect.
When I was growing up, we feared our parents’ reaction if we acted out — they stood firmly behind our teachers. That fear kept discipline in check.
Parents must start holding their kids accountable again. It’s tough love, but it’s necessary.
Teachers: Be Firm, Not Friends
Teachers shouldn’t try to be their students’ buddies. Boundaries are crucial. Be firm, fair, and consistent. Respect comes later, and it will be genuine.
And teachers must teach — not just facilitate tech use. Spend 75% of classroom time actually instructing. Kids need the human touch more than ever.
Principals: Back Your Teachers
Principals must be bold. When parents complain unfairly about teachers, stand up for your staff. If you don’t, you’ll lose their trust. Teachers are the backbone of education, and principals must protect them from outside pressure.
The Unpopular Truth About Discipline
I’m going to say something you won’t hear much today: I believe in corporal punishment.
The phrase “Spare the rod, spoil the child” isn’t just ancient wisdom. It worked. It worked on me, and it worked on students I taught.
Ever since schools phased out corporal punishment, student behavior has declined. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Ask older generations who experienced it — most will say it absolutely made a difference.
In Closing
If parents keep defending bad behavior and schools refuse to impose real consequences, public education will continue its downward spiral. Learning will suffer, test scores will fall, and we’ll continue losing ground.
I’m not speaking from theory. I’m speaking from decades of real-world experience. As educational philosopher John Dewey once said: “An ounce of experience is better than a ton of theory.”
It’s time we listen.
