Few subjects create stronger opinions than education.
Parents want their children to receive the best possible start in life. Teachers want students to learn, grow, and feel supported in the classroom. Schools, meanwhile, are expected to manage academic expectations while also dealing with social, behavioral, and practical challenges.
That is why a letter written by retired teacher Lisa Roberson continues to attract attention.
Originally published in the Augusta Chronicle in 2017, Roberson argued that discussions about education often overlook an important part of the equation: the role parents play in preparing children for school.
Her message was direct, but the broader issue is worth considering from several perspectives.
A Retired Teacher Shares Her Perspective
Roberson began her letter by expressing frustration with people who criticize public schools without recent classroom experience.
Her central argument was that teachers should not be expected to solve every problem a child brings into the classroom.
She pointed to basic behaviors such as manners, respect, preparation, listening, and completing schoolwork.
Her argument was essentially this: education is a partnership, and teachers cannot carry the responsibilities of both school and home.
That idea continues to resonate with many educators and parents.
Parents Have an Important Role in Learning
Children spend a significant amount of time outside the classroom.
Parents and caregivers therefore influence many habits that affect a child’s experience at school.
Simple routines can make a meaningful difference.
These include:
- Getting enough sleep before school
- Arriving prepared
- Having necessary school materials
- Completing homework
- Reading regularly
- Practicing respectful communication
- Learning how to listen to others
- Understanding the importance of responsibility
None of these responsibilities belong exclusively to parents or teachers.
But families can provide the foundation that allows children to participate more successfully in the classroom.
Teachers Cannot Do Everything Alone
Teachers have an enormous range of responsibilities.
They prepare lessons, explain concepts, evaluate assignments, manage classrooms, communicate with families, and support students with different learning needs.
They also work with children who may have very different levels of preparation.
When classroom time is repeatedly interrupted by disruptive behavior, missing assignments, or a lack of basic supplies, teachers may have less time to focus on instruction.
This does not mean every classroom problem is caused by parents.
Children can struggle for many reasons, including learning differences, emotional difficulties, social pressures, and challenges that adults may not immediately see.
Still, parental involvement can be an important part of the solution.
The Importance of Parent-Teacher Communication
One of the strongest ideas behind Roberson’s letter is the importance of communication between families and schools.
Parents do not need to attend every school event or agree with every teacher to remain involved.
They can start with simple actions.
Ask how the child is doing.
Check assignments.
Read school communications.
Attend meetings when possible.
Let teachers know about important changes that may affect the child.
Likewise, teachers can help by communicating concerns clearly and respectfully rather than waiting until a problem becomes overwhelming.
When both sides communicate early, small issues may be easier to address.
School Supplies Are Only One Part of the Bigger Picture
Roberson also highlighted the issue of students arriving without basic supplies.
In some classrooms, teachers have historically purchased pencils, paper, and other materials themselves when students did not have them.
That situation raises a complicated question.
Parents may have a responsibility to prepare their children, but not every family has the same financial resources.
A child arriving without supplies does not automatically mean that a parent is careless.
Economic hardship, family circumstances, or school requirements can all play a role.
For that reason, discussions about responsibility should also include compassion.
The goal should be making sure children have what they need to learn—not simply assigning blame.
Are Parents Responsible for School Problems?
This is where the conversation becomes more complicated.
It would be unfair to suggest that parents are responsible for every weakness in an education system.
Schools face challenges involving funding, class sizes, curriculum requirements, staffing, technology, infrastructure, and access to specialized support.
Teachers also work within systems they do not personally control.
At the same time, it would be equally unrealistic to suggest that schools can solve every problem without meaningful family involvement.
A child’s education is influenced by multiple factors.
Parents matter. Teachers matter. Schools matter. Communities matter.
The strongest results often come when these groups work together.
Children Learn More Than Academic Subjects
One particularly important point raised by discussions like Roberson’s is that education extends beyond mathematics, reading, and science.
Children also learn how to:
- Treat other people with respect
- Handle disappointment
- Listen during conversations
- Take responsibility for mistakes
- Work with classmates
- Follow reasonable rules
- Ask for help
- Persist when something feels difficult
These skills influence a child’s experience throughout life.
Parents can reinforce them at home, while teachers can strengthen them through classroom routines and group activities.
Neither environment has to do all the work alone.
What Parents Can Do at Home
Supporting a child’s education does not require creating a strict or stressful home environment.
Small, consistent habits can be more useful than occasional bursts of pressure.
Parents can create a regular homework routine, encourage reading, ask children what they learned during the day, and help them organize school materials.
They can also teach an important lesson that is sometimes overlooked:
Learning is the child’s responsibility, but asking for help is not a failure.
When children understand that mistakes are part of learning, they may become more willing to participate and try again.
What Teachers Can Do Too
The conversation should not stop with parents.
Teachers also play a critical role in creating classrooms where children can succeed.
Clear expectations, consistent routines, encouragement, constructive feedback, and respectful communication can help students understand what is expected of them.
Teachers can also recognize that children arrive at school with different experiences and resources.
A student who struggles should not automatically be labeled lazy or disrespectful.
Understanding the reason behind a behavior can sometimes reveal a solution.
Education Works Best as a Partnership
Perhaps the most useful lesson from the retired teacher’s letter is not that one group is entirely responsible for the problems facing education.
It is that parents and teachers need each other.
Parents understand their children in ways teachers cannot always know.
Teachers see children in a learning environment that parents may rarely observe.
When those perspectives are shared respectfully, everyone gains a clearer picture of the child’s needs.
A teacher can say, “I’m noticing this difficulty in class.”
A parent can respond, “We’ve noticed something similar at home.”
That conversation can become the beginning of a solution.
A Message Worth Discussing, But Not Without Context
Roberson’s letter remains interesting because it challenges a familiar habit: looking for one group to blame when something goes wrong.
Parents can certainly do more to support their children’s education.
Teachers can also improve communication and classroom practices.
Schools can address structural problems.
And communities can help families who lack resources.
The education system is too complex for a single explanation.
Final Thoughts
A child’s education does not begin when the school bell rings.
It begins at home, continues in the classroom, and develops through relationships with teachers, parents, friends, and the wider community.
The most productive question may therefore not be “Who is to blame?”
It may be:
“What can each of us do to help children succeed?”
Parents can teach responsibility and encourage learning. Teachers can provide knowledge, guidance, and structure. Schools can create supportive environments and ensure that families have access to the resources they need.
When everyone recognizes their role, children are given something far more valuable than a good report card.
They are given the support and habits they need to become confident, responsible lifelong learners.