When Lisa Roberson hung up her chalk for the last time, she thought she had left the battles of the classroom behind. But after years of watching debates about “fixing” public education—often led by people who hadn’t been inside a school in decades—she finally had enough.
So, she sat down and wrote what many teachers have been thinking but few dare to say out loud.
“I’m tired of people deciding how to fix our education system when they have no idea what goes on in our public schools,” Roberson began. “The problem isn’t the teachers—it’s the parents.”
She described a reality that is all too familiar to educators. Children walk into class in brand-name shoes worth more than an entire teacher’s outfit, yet arrive empty-handed—no paper, no pencils, no supplies at all. And when that happens? It’s the teachers who quietly open their wallets to make sure those children can still learn.
But for Roberson, the issue runs much deeper. She urged people to take a hard look at the parents in struggling schools.
Are they showing up to parent-teacher conferences?
Do they talk to their child’s teacher regularly?
Do they make sure homework is done and supplies are ready?
Do they even answer the phone when the school calls?
And what about the students themselves—are they paying attention, taking notes, doing their work? Or are they the ones causing constant disruptions?
Her conclusion was clear and unapologetic:
“When you really look at it, it’s the parents—not the schools—who are failing. Teachers cannot do their job and the parents’ job too. Until parents step up and do their part, nothing will change.”
The letter struck a nerve. Many parents agreed wholeheartedly, while others pushed back. But one thing is certain—Roberson’s words have sparked a conversation about accountability, responsibility, and what it will really take to give our kids the education they deserve.