Unruly students actually deserve a good blogging

WHEN I taught high school, students would pass notes in class. If I intercepted one and determined that the content was out of bounds, the students would be punished.

In an ironic twist, Central Bucks East High School teacher Natalie Munroe was suspended for something similar, except the stakes are a thousandfold higher. We're not talking a trip to the principal's office or a detention - she's been suspended and could lose her job.

The revelation of Munroe's blog created outrage in the Central Bucks district among parents and students stunned by posts in which she described students as "rude, disengaged, lazy whiners."

Although her posts never identified students by name, she unloaded on their disrespectful attitude and classroom behavior, and some were peppered with profanity. Administrators and parents were also targets of criticism.

When the blog became public, the school district immediately suspended her. In the aftermath, students and parents have expressed their shock, online and in interviews. The story has become national, and the chorus grows louder to fire Munroe.

I'VE FOLLOWED the accounts of Central Bucks parents who say their children have been "damaged" by Munroe's blog. Some pundits who, like most parents, never spent any time teaching in one of these challenging classrooms, have also criticized her.

But as an ex-teacher, I take exception to those who want to ride Munroe out on a rail. Teaching is one of the hardest jobs on the planet. I often came home physically and mentally exhausted, and questioned if I was reaching kids and making a difference.

Trying to reach 25 to 30 students class after class is difficult enough; add in bad, unruly and uninterested kids and it becomes nearly impossible. Our education system is flawed and needs fixing. But school districts are powerless over one of the most important factors: poor parenting.

I interviewed Munroe on my WPHT show last week. I'll be the first to say that teachers are role models and her blog was unprofessional. But the frustration reflected in her posts are the challenges teachers everywhere face.

Munroe said: "My comments were not meant for all the students. There are some lovely students and some less-than-stellar students. I was not trying to name names or give any distinct characteristics."

Munroe obviously hit a nerve. It's unfortunate that the coverage has stereotyped all Central Bucks High students.

But she is bringing to light a painful truth: Poorly raised kids are a cancer in the classroom. They divert a teacher's time from educating the students who want to learn. And over time, the toxic kids burn out even the most dedicated, hardworking teachers.

The reality is that many parents are guilty of malpractice. They've done a poor job of raising their kids to respect teachers and fellow students. The kids often lack good values and strong morals. These parents don't insist that their kids work hard, and they often exhibit the "not my child syndrome" if a teacher should even dare state that their little darlin' is less than perfect.

I want to scream when we hear a news account of a student getting in trouble for some type of illegal activity. Parents (or grandparents) proclaim the child "a good kid," incapable of the crime they've been charged with. (And that's usually a family that refuses to look in the mirror and face the truth.)

Instead, the parents of these brats, bullies and classroom cancers go into Def Com Five denial.

Rather than acknowledging the truth and trying to correct their kid, they attack the teacher. Given the growing level of disrespect, is it any surprise why good teachers leave the profession or stop caring?

Munroe told me, "This is a conversation that while I certainly didn't want to come to light in this manner, or at all, I'm glad there's an opportunity for some of the problems in the education system to come to light."

The students and situations she describes are not fiction. While most kids aren't real troublemakers, the problem students and underachievers are painfully real. Any teacher reading Munroe's blog would immediately relate.

Munroe added: "Teachers everywhere have trouble engaging some students. I like my job, but sometimes you go home and ask what am I doing here?"

It's time to look at the real problem: Behind every screwed-up kid, you're likely to find some screwed-up parents.

We don't have to excuse Munroe's blog rants, but we should at least understand the reasons for them.

I've been critical of some teachers unions that have used extremely counterproductive strategies for collective bargaining.

But when I see a teacher like Munroe being treated like a pariah, I'm in total solidarity with my teacher colleagues.

Teacher-turned-talk-show-host Dom Giordano is heard on WPHT/1210 AM. Contact him at askdomg@aol.com.