Natalie Munroe-Hero Teacher or Mean, Vindictive Adversary?

Natalie Munroe is a high school teacher in suburban Philadelphia. She posted a blog for everyone to see that berated and criticized her students for being lazy, whiners, crazy, sloppy, loafers. Kids that want everything now and don't want to put in the effort in class.

Comment from AP-MS NBC: My students are out of control," Munroe, who has taught 10Th, 11Th and 12Th grades, wrote in one post. "They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire, and are just generally annoying."

She also listed some comments she wished she could post on student evaluations, including: "I hear the trash company is hiring"; "I called out sick a couple of days just to avoid your son"; and "Just as bad as his sibling. Don't you know how to raise kids?"
Munroe pointed out that she also said positive things, but she acknowledges that she did write some things out of frustration - and of a feeling that many kids today are being given a free pass at school and at home."Parents are more trying to be their kids' friends and less trying to be their parent," Munroe said, also noting students' lack of patience. "They want everything right now. They want it yesterday."

OK, if you are a rational human being, you can see why the reactions are like they are, from both sides. Of course the kids that found it online and turned her in, were offended. They probably felt like they were participating and did not see the things Munroe was saying. I don't see anywhere in the article where she stated it was every single student in all of her classes. Regardless, it would be hard to hear if you thought you were one of those students. I can totally understand their reaction.

However, I totally see why she has gained such support. So much support there is now a FaceBook page for her. Why? Because to many people, she has said what they have wanted to say for years now. People who either deal with other people's children, just empathize with her or see the change over the course of the last 20 years in our kids.

You can view this particular situation anyway you choose. However, you cannot deny that there has been a change in the way kids are today. Their drive, their attitudes and their way of thinking has advanced into lax and negative. They do want everything now and have little respect for adults and people. who are not them. The bullying situation is a good example of attitudes. Though there has always been bullying, it has gotten to the extent of truly being a problem. When other kids kill themselves because they don't want to deal with someone picking on them anymore, it is serious.

What is going on in this country that has created such a change in our kids? I believe it has happened. I believe Natalie Munroe is correct. However, it is not the kids fault...You Learn What You Live!
Kids are allowed to be like they are, today. They were allowed from a young age. Parents were so scared to be out of the loop of social status, they gave their kids everything they wanted. Or they were on the other end of the spectrum and felt they couldn't cope with being a parent and copped out of life altogether, as far as parenting issues went. The folks in the middle just did the best they could and tried to hold on to as many old values as possible and hope they were right.

The Baby Boomers started this downward trend with our kids. Coming from the parenting generation of the Great Depression, Baby Boomers were desperate to give their kids a life that would never include being poor or struggling. They were determined their kids would never do without one thing and would not know the day to day hardships, their parents lived through. They stopped teaching their kids how to survive and gave them easy lives. We went from a nation of parents that spanked, to a nation of time outs and long explanations. Our children became our friends and we made sure they were not allowed to feel bad about themselves. They were winners, regardless of how bad they did or how bad their behavior was. The parents that left their kids to raise themselves for whatever reason, got the results that were expected. Grownups, that were usually parents by age 16 and grownups that dealt with life the best they could. These are the parents of the teenagers today.

Not all the kids today are bad kids, but all are different than generations before. In good and bad ways. Today's kids are smart and savvy and full of truth and ideas. However, It has been a long time coming for the negative attitudes and we should not be surprised. It is something that we should have seen headed our way.

We stopped trying to teach our kids manners, respect and dedication. Many have turned their kids over to THEIR parents to raise into the teenagers our teachers are dealing with. There are over 12 million children being raised by grandparents in the US today. Grandparents, that don't recognize that they didn't do a great job the first time around. What is going to be the norm for this second chance at raising children? Are they doing anything different?

We created the teenagers we have today. We should not be angry with them. We should be angry with the way we have let the change in social attitudes change us. We have let "Dr. Spock" and other liberal thinking icons tell us the old values were obsolete and that our antiquated way of demanding respect, teaching values and hard work were wrong. And that spanking, like the Bible says we are supposed to do, was wrong.

We have been creating a monster for our future. With the attitudes of the teenagers today, our future is destined to continue with irresponsible behavior. The ongoing lack of respect from countries around the world will grow because they see us as irresponsible. We can't be the "GREAT" country we have been with leaders and citizens that would rather play a video game rather than put in a days work. A country where nobody is willing to get their hands dirty anymore to make a days pay. Where the hard work is farmed out to other places, no matter the people that don't have a job here. This is going to be our future. Our children become the adults we teach them to be. If we aren't doing our jobs, what is the result going to be?

I think on Natalie Munroe was wrong for blaming the kids. She shouldn't have attacked the kids. They are just doing the only things they know. I think we parents better wake up in America. We have to put the effort into our kids. They can't be expected to raise themselves and giving them everything they want has not teaching value either. We have to TEACH them how to be adults and if they don't have it by the time they get to high school, they are not going to have it.

I support Natalie Munroe, but I think she needs to focus on the root of the issues, not the kids. I think she may need to try harder to be an example vs being a critic.