IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE LITTLE PEOPLE

The BBC carried a story this morning that the "Chief Inspector" for the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted in Orwellian terms) told a group of teachers that parents had responsibilities with respect to the education of their children, and getting the kids to school ready to learn. His list of responsibilities was set forth as:

(1) being up and ready for school, awake and alert, not tired and lethargic from last night's television, computer or entertainment;
(2) being properly nourished and dressed, not scruffy or hitting the sweet shop en route to school for a substitute breakfast;
(3) being prompt and enthusiastic both at the start, and throughout the school day, not late or dilatory;
(4) being ready to learn - if to confront, to do so with debate and discipline, not ignorance and apathy.

I know that it is easy to take pot shots at teachers, especially elementary and high school teachers. Still, I can probably count on one hand the teachers I had that consistently met all four of the responsibilities above.