A recent survey indicates that 11% of adults in Britain believe schools, rather than parents, bear responsibility for children's behavior. This finding from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) think tank emerges amid increasing concerns about a behavior crisis in classrooms, with teachers reporting a rise in pupil violence and verbal abuse from parents.
The CSJ's nationally representative poll, conducted by JL Partners with 3,000 adults, suggests a decline in parental responsibilities, leading to a greater expectation for the state to intervene. Dr. Sebastian Milbank, a senior researcher at the CSJ, noted a breakdown in the social contract, stating that "too many parents are expecting teachers to parent, rather than teach."
This sentiment may help explain reports of children arriving at school unprepared. The survey found that 6% of respondents thought schools were responsible for children eating breakfast, 3% for toilet training, and 2% for teeth-cleaning. These figures, while small, align with observations of children lacking basic self-care skills upon entering school.
However, the majority of respondents still affirmed the primary role of families in child-rearing. Eighty-five percent of those polled believed parents are responsible for their children's behavior, 86% for ensuring children eat breakfast, and 90% for ensuring children are toilet-trained and maintain dental hygiene.
The issue of pupil behavior has prompted action and calls for government intervention. The NASUWT union reported that 40% of teachers experienced pupil violence in the past year, while the ASCL union found 60% of headteachers had faced verbal abuse or threats from parents. The ASCL has advocated for a government campaign to encourage parental responsibility.
The Department for Education acknowledged the shared responsibilities of schools, parents, and government in ensuring children's success. A spokesperson outlined current government initiatives, including expanding breakfast clubs, lifting the two-child benefit cap, establishing family hubs, and investing in behavior, special educational needs, and mental health support.
Politically, the Labour party has pledged £30 million for free breakfast clubs and launched a supervised toothbrushing program in deprived areas. Despite these initiatives, Dr. Milbank argued that the government's message of the state taking on burdens is misplaced, emphasizing that basic social responsibilities are not being met and that tasks like teaching children to brush their teeth are fundamentally parental duties.
The CSJ report also highlighted a mutual mistrust between parents and schools, citing instances where parents refuse to address their children's misbehavior and schools conflict with families over educational philosophies. The think tank's findings suggest that addressing these behavioral issues requires a re-evaluation of the roles and responsibilities within the home-school relationship.