A few parents, certainly, want to have their cake and eat it. They bring children into the world, they expect them to go to school and to have an education, and then, all they are interested in is their own jobs, and making sure that their offspring are not around to pester them to do this, that and the other.

A couple of parents have recently written to the media, chastising schools and teachers for not being ‘organised’ enough to compile lists of scrapbooks, exercise-books and other stationery. As if such things can be thought of and arranged beforehand. These parents appear to be oblivious that each teacher and subject, as well as each class, have their own particular needs and exigencies.

So, such parents gauge the level of organisation in a particular school by silly lists of biros and whatnot!

We have reached a stage where some parents also expect teachers to do their stationery shopping for them.

The way a few of these parents write, it’s as if stationeries are few and far between, and that you have to travel miles in order to find one!

Then, there’s another thing one has to consider; most students are able to travel a short distance on their own. So, why do parents need to go shopping for them?

According to P. Camilleri of Sliema, (TMID, 29 September) whose parting shot is that, teachers are “off home at 2.30pm or thereabouts”. There you go, the same old rant against teachers. This correspondent asks for more respect towards parents – how about you respecting your offspring’s teachers for starters? Did your children read your letter in TMID? And the parting shot to their own teachers? Were they pleased with you? And I am sure you had a lot to say against teachers, in front of them, before you put pen to paper!

Thank goodness the majority of parents are not like P. Camilleri. In my long experience, most parents are traditionally helpful, do their duty and respect the schools and teaching staff, because they know that their children are in safe hands.

Not only that, but many, many parents offer their help and their precious time to help around the school. They help teachers, administrators and education managers to ensure even better organisation at the schools in which their children are being educated. Parents like these are a feather in the cap of these particular schools.

P. Camilleri writes, “We do have other things to do”. Indeed, but top of your priorities is ensuring that you accompany your children on their quest for education. And that includes going with them to the stationery, as many times as required.

Franco Farrugia

Pietà