According to a recent survey, 10 per cent of Britons believe that schools, not parents, should be in charge of their children’s conduct.
A survey of 3,000 adults reveals 11 per cent believe this issue falls under the remit of teachers, despite children spending more time at home than in lessons.
Teachers’ complaints about a behavioural crisis in the classroom may be explained by research from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) think tank.
The CSJ said there has been a ‘decline’ in ‘parental responsibilities’, leading to the State having to step in.
It said poor parental attitudes to school have become part of the ‘degradation’ of the ‘social fabric’ of Britain, adding that the ‘social contract has been lost’.
Dr Sebastian Milbank, senior researcher at the CSJ, said: ‘A wave of violence and bad behaviour is ripping through our primary schools, with a growing number of attacks on pupils and teachers.
‘A basic social contract has broken down, and too many parents are expecting teachers to parent, rather than teach.
‘We need a new and better deal between teachers, parents and kids, one that keeps children safe and learning, and in which home and school act to support one another.’
It comes after the NASUWT union found 40 per cent of teachers had experienced pupil violence in the last year, while the ASCL union found 60 per cent of heads had suffered ‘verbal abuse or threats’ from unsupportive parents.
The problem has become so dire that ASCL called for a Government campaign to get parents to take more responsibility for their children’s actions.
The CSJ report said: ‘Parents and schools are stuck in mutual mistrust, with stories of parents who refuse to punish children who misbehave at school and schools persecuting families because they disagree with the school’s educational philosophy.’
According to JL Partners’ nationally representative survey for the CSJ, 6 per cent of participants said that schools, not parents, should be in charge of making sure kids eat breakfast.
Furthermore, two percent of respondents believed that schools were in charge of cleaning teeth, and three percent believed that schools were in charge of toilet training.
While the proportions are small, the fact that some people hold these views may help clarify why schools are saying some children are arriving having not eaten breakfast or cleaned their teeth, and many are unable to use the toilet.
A previous survey found that around one in four children who started reception in 2025 were not toilet-trained.
However, the polling also revealed the majority of respondents thought that families, not the State, should raise children, with 85 per cent believing parents were responsible for behaviour.
Also, 86 per cent believed parents should be feeding children breakfast, and 90 per cent said parents should ensure children brush their teeth and are toilet-trained.
Labour has pledged £30 million to roll out free breakfast clubs this year and has launched a supervised toothbrushing programme in the most deprived areas.
But Dr Milbank said: ‘When children turn up in Reception year unready for school, without toilet training, or suffering from tooth decay, it isn’t their fault, and it’s not the school’s.
‘A basic social responsibility is no longer being met. The message from the Government – that the State can take on the burden instead – is precisely the wrong one.
‘Most people do not think that schools, for example, should step in and teach young pupils how to brush their teeth. That’s a parent’s responsibility.’
A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘Schools, parents and government all have responsibilities to make sure kids have the opportunity to get on in life.
‘For our part, our reforms are changing the playing field for kids across the country to create a future where your background does not determine success.
‘We’re expanding breakfast clubs, lifting the two-child benefit cap, and opening a Best Start Family Hub in every local area, while investing in tackling poor pupil behaviour, reforming special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, and rolling out mental health support teams.’
Sadly, some parents would rather look at their phones or constantly talk to their best friend rather than look after their children, but the fact is, they carried them for 9 months, gave birth to them, and then they have the responsibility of looking after them. They made their beds; now they have to lie in them. But watch this space; maybe in the future, teachers will be asked to birth these children for the parents as well.
Why even have children if you are going to abandon their upbringing? It is the parents’ responsibility to potty train, use a knife and fork, brush their teeth, and have manners – school is to educate.
A teacher’s job is now a thankless job. No surprise, 40,000 people leave education each year, and a third of trainees quit in the first five years.
The real problem is that parents have no control over their children. You can’t smack them, shout at them, or scold them in any way. This is why children these days have no respect, and they are shy of any physical work, like doing chores in the home, for pocket money.
Teachers are overworked, behaviour issues have increased dramatically, and many parents feel powerless. However, “you can’t smack them anymore” isn’t the only reason. The evidence presents a more nuanced picture, and it goes considerably deeper.
Children today aren’t worse because parents can’t hit them. They’re struggling because the whole structure around parenting has changed: work, screens, social norms, school pressures, and the collapse of community support.
A child disciplined from a young age does remember rules. A child raised with clear boundaries grows into a respectful adult. A child raised with no consequences becomes uncontrollable.
The problem today is that the boundaries and consequences have disappeared, not just the smacking, and parents have lost authority over their children, not because they are not allowed to smack them anymore, but because society now second-guesses every form of discipline.
Now parents worry about being filmed, being judged, being reported, and being accused of being too harsh, so they evade confrontation.
Screens have replaced adults, and children spend hours on TikTok, YouTube, gaming and social media. Screens teach instant gratification, no patience, no effort, and no respect.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 