Pendulum swings too far as teachers struggle in the classroom

How things have changed (“Why are teachers struggling? Because your children are awful”, August 2). When I was lecturing at university in the 90s I’d sometimes chase up an unsubmitted essay with a 9am call to the student’s home, expecting the student to still be in bed and the phone answered by their mother. The call was usually met by a parental gasp and an essay submitted the following day. The change in student and parent behaviour nowadays is, I believe, largely caused by parents egging their children on with tutoring, ideas of superiority, and challenging teachers to get the children into selective classes and schools, and unearned university results. How about we do away with exams, opportunity classes and selective schools. Mix children of different levels in classes where the skills of all children are respected - woodwork given the same value as maths, for instance. Let children relax, enjoy school and learn for the pleasure of learning, rather than being constantly pressured to outdo their peers and to feel entitled to results beyond their ability. Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills

When asked what has changed most over my many years as a secondary school teacher my reply is always the parents. Students learn and respond best when clear boundaries are fairly imposed but for many, this is foreign and not supported by parents, resulting in a lack of respect for authority and consequential poor behaviour. This is compounded by contemporary teacher training which favours student centred learning, the results of which are now manifested in poor learning outcomes. I am not advocating unconditional parental support but a more reasoned approach respectful of both sides which is ultimately in the best interests of the student. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne

The pendulum has swung a bit too far in one direction. We have gone from “children should be seen and not heard” to “do anything you like, darling”. Parenting in this modern world is challenging but treating teachers with respect should be a given. Pamela Shepherd, Balgowlah

Raising children is like training puppies. Both need rules and boundaries, and to be aware of consequences if those boundaries are ignored. As a result of consistent training, we end up with an obedient and loyal dog or a delightful, intelligent adult. Marjie Williamson, Blaxland

My daughter and son-in-law are high school teachers and their children, my grandchildren, are very well-behaved. They witness the state in which their parents come home after eight hours of wrangling rude, badly behaved students. Parents need to experience a typical day in the classroom to see how teachers suffer from bad parenting. Christine Tiley, Albany Creek (Qld)

Parents definitely should set boundaries. Over the years I have noticed the most disruptive children were those desperately wanting a parent to understand their problems, and to care enough to set the boundaries that will help them overcome their inability to cope with all the necessary societal restrictions. Joy Cooksey, Harrington

Price notes research that “narcissism in children is cultivated by parental overvaluation”. So, parents are to blame, again. Perhaps not entirely. Parenting style is just one factor in children’s behaviour. The Mayo Clinic states the cause is likely complex and may be linked to the parent-child relationship; inherited genetic characteristics; and neurobiology – the connection between brain, behaviour, and thinking. I hope this lessens the guilt of parents trying to do their best. But kids’ nasty or dangerous narcissistic behaviour must not go unchecked and, if warranted, must be punished. And Price and psychologist Carr-Gregg, do us all a favour in clarifying that loving is not about unconditional support. Good to know. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon

Jenna Price’s article on childhood narcissism raises some hope that changes to parental behaviour may result in alterations to the behaviour of their children. However, if we change a few words in her message of hope - “psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg says he’s been thinking a lot about what voters can do to prevent narcissistic behaviour in their politicians” - the outlook is less promising. David MacKintosh, Berkeley Vale

Legal cocaine forever resisted by politicians

What a coherent, well researched and sensible op-ed piece from Cate Faehrmann (“Legalising cocaine would give ganglords what they fear most : Centrelink”, August 2). The implementation of her legalisation idea would make drug ganglords quake in their boots, or result in them moving on to other territories. Who can possibly argue against these truths: prohibition has never worked; the cost of impure coke and other drugs in lives lost is too great; thousands use coke, alcohol etc responsibly; let authorities regulate and control supply and as a result handsomely earn tax revenue; and lastly, invest the moneys saved from fighting the useless “war on drugs” into prevention and rehabilitation. But who will forever resist this common-sense approach: our politicians, who just cannot pull their heads out of the sand. Carsten Burmeister, Mosman

While I appreciate the persuasive argument of Cate Faehrmann, unfortunately the comparisons to alcohol and tobacco as legal drugs, shows how complex humans are. The significant health and social costs from our legal drugs are because they are available and comparatively cheap. For all the failures of the war on drugs, it does reduce access, push up the price and prevent illegal drugs being normalised. Maybe humans will always struggle to make sensible choices when it comes to mind-altering substances? Rhyan Andrews, Faulconbridge

Prohibition of alcoholic drinks did not work in the United States nor has prohibition of narcotics been successful here in Australia. Just as the prohibition era in America made criminals rich, Australia’s narcotics prohibition is doing the same. Australian society must change its approach to this problem if any improvement to the current disastrous situation is to be achieved. Julian Bowditch, Croydon

The whole process of drug production and distribution needs to be legalised. Just decriminalising the personal use of drugs will simply create a cash windfall for organised crime. John Croker, Woonona

Faehrmann’s complaint that it’s just a “narrative” being “peddled” that cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and so forth are dangerous is at odds with every doctor on planet earth. Regulating cigarettes didn’t make smoking less dangerous, just more ubiquitous for a long time. She goes on to argue that the war on drugs is lost because far more people die from legal drugs. By what measure will the war on drugs be won: when cocaine use claims as many lives as alcohol, but the government gets their tax dollars? As a point of interest, legalisation of cannabis has failed in California because the regulations have left the black market as profitable as ever. Legalisation is not a magic bullet. Paul Davies, Crows Nest

Lead a simpler life to help fight climate change

What price do we put on loss of hope for the future (“Legacy: Climate, rent, crappy job”, August 2)? Why have we made life so seemingly bleak and bereft of joy? I’m tired of the smoke and mirrors of “look what we’re doing to help” when the reality is not nearly enough even if it’s “better than the last mob”. It requires mobilisation of all resources, equitable tax reform and selling the idea to everyone that a simpler life with less consumption and more time experiencing nature (the beach, a park, the bush) will build that longed for hope. As our hearts break this is the news we need.
Francesca Stahlut, Armidale

I cannot understand why my generation is blamed for all manner of ills which beset us. Not everyone was able to buy a house when we were young, especially with the soaring interest rates, not everyone had a secure job, especially with the many recessions and high unemployment this country experienced in the 70s and 80s. Few people in my grandparents’ generation owned houses and it took WWII to produce the economic boom of the 50s and 60s to allow my parents access to cheap housing. Many did not inherit wealth, they had to risk their lives to enjoy a job and a house. As young people we tried to alert the world to injustices, we protested against war, sexism, racism and environmental pollution. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published in the 1950s. We learnt to distrust those in power because they didn’t listen, and they’re not listening now. That is not our generation’s fault. Lyndall Nelson, Goulburn

Not Central

Sydney Metro Southwest construction will be “disruptive for passengers” and cost an extra $1 billion, but the permanent disruption will be for commuters to the west of Bankstown that used to have two direct lines to Central, via Inner West and Sydenham, but from mid-2024 will be left with none (“‘Price of progress’ easy to say if you’re not paying it”, August 2). Birrong and Yagoona, and potentially other stations west of Bankstown will close not just for the temporary 12-month shutdown, but after Metro Southwest opens to Bankstown, the remaining stations in the west will not have any trains to Central whatsoever. Roydon Ng, Berala

Forever shamed

The dedication and care shown by the AFP, needed to bring this alleged abuser before the court, is a credit to our Federal Police (“The breakthrough that led to childcare worker being charged with abusing 91 girls”, August 1). What is needed now is a massive increase in the penalties imposed for the horrific crime of child abuse, and the equally horrific crimes of sexual and female abuse. We must bring the appalling rates of these crimes down dramatically, or be forever shamed in our own eyes and those of the world. Ian Lewis, Kentucky

Cash needed

Your correspondent argues for a cashless society (Letters, August 2). Before this can happen a cheap, universally accessible, reliable, trustworthy and fully functioning cybersphere is vital. In the meantime, the ensuing fees incurred by plastic add to already colossal bank profits. Credit cards encourage personal debt. Merchant fees add to inflation. Your correspondent suggests that the elderly needing to count cash is problematic. This aged pensioner quite enjoys it. Diane Wilder, Waitara

A $64 question: what will go under the mattress if there’s no cash? Minds will be boggling.
Col Shephard, Yamba

Reputation intact

After having a falsely tested sample leaked to the media at the start of the year, athlete Peter Bol’s integrity and reputation are finally, belatedly, fully restored in August (“Bol has finally been cleared, but he deserves answers”, August 2). If Sport Integrity Australia thinks that it “adhered to the code in relation to its management of the matter”, then, as Andrew Webster succinctly concluded, “what confidence could any athlete have in anti doping processes”, or the “code”? Bol and his team have emerged from this matter with their reputations and integrity fully intact. Not so others. Paul Parramore, Sawtell

Cinema class

Seems like there has been a lost generation that hasn’t had the joy of what movie watching is all about (“How l fell in love with the flicks again, while wearing pink”, August 2). I love the way that an uninterrupted journey through a worthwhile film leaves one “changed”. A glass of wine for a debrief in a nearby bar also heightens the experience - something that never happens in a domestic environment or a screen on the back of a seat in an aeroplane. There is something about going to a theatre that leaves an indelible memory of the film if it has been worthwhile. Most TV films seem to end up like last week’s newspapers in my memory bank. With all the distractions of home viewing considered, it is a delight to know that a full house cinema experience is now once again possible. Popcorn ’n all. Greg Vale, Kiama

Trump’s warning

During the third presidential debate with Hilary Clinton in October 2016, the moderator asked Donald Trump if he would accept the election outcome should he lose (“Trump’s charges strike at the very heart of American democracy”, August 2). Trump’s equivocal answer, that he would keep the US in “suspense” on that matter, was a forewarning of his incitement to storm the Capital to overturn the 2020 election result. That an uncouth, inarticulate, morally bereft man charged with a range of criminal federal offences, and found guilty of sexually abusing and defaming E Jean Carroll, is capable of destroying the democratic election process in the USA defies rationality. Even more stupefying, Trump is the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 election, and he could end up as the legitimately elected president, ensconced in a prison cell instead of the Oval Office. To paraphrase Shakespeare, something is rotten in the state of America. Gerardine Grace, Leura

Food deflectors

Carb update for the Opera House: the old sound deflectors were the doughnuts, the new flat red ones are pringles (Letters, August 1). Sue Wittenoom, Redfern

Review needed into arrangements for sport on TV

It is disappointing that the vast majority of Australian sports fans are missing out on what has been an outstanding competition so far (Letters, August 2). We have been hearing about the ongoing legacy of the tournament when it is all over, but this will be seriously compromised due to its lack of free to air exposure. It is almost with embarrassment that I admit I am an Optus Sport subscriber and have been able to enjoy so much quality football on the TV. We say that we shouldn’t let this happen again and that the government will hold a review, that will all a bit too late as by the time it comes around again who knows what the broadcasting environment will be like. Tom Prendergast, Strathfield

The fact that your outraged correspondents are unwilling to pay $25 to stream the full FIFA World Cup program could go some way towards explaining why the TV companies were unwilling to commit millions of dollars to put it on free to air. David Calvey, Gosford

Something has been missing in the free-to-air world cup games: where is the usual hand wringing, the writhing around on the ground following the mildest tackle? Where is screaming out for a kiss to make it better (and give me a free kick while you’re at it) followed by ganging up on the referee by the entire team pleading for ... whatever? This is the women’s world cup: showing them how it’s done. Joe Whitcombe, Bronte

The Matildas are regularly cited as great role models for girls and women. Why not for boys and men too? Sarah Johnson, Sandy Bay (Tas)

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