"Scores"?! There's your problem right there. These are not scores, but an unscientific survey. How many people even answered? Could it be that the ones who answer are most likely disgruntled? Education needs to be focused less on "satisfaction" defined in the most narrow terms.

TTT- It's more the parents making their opinions about the teachers, the neighbors, the politicians, etc. known to their entire household in their own little way. It's like little kids throwing sand at each other and expecting the observers to not get sand on them to take with them wherever they go. There is a poem about Children Learn What They Live. Never more appropriate than in today's society.

Oh, and I wasn't on any kind of welfare. Worked full time at 50+ hours a week.

As a formerly single parent I take offense. My children were/have been/are given discipline as it was needed. I had firm guidelines in place for them (varied with their ages of course) and made sure that they had and used their manners, treated their elders with respect, etc. My children are not saints, they were and are children. When you get a "thank you" from your child for preparing them to be on their own, and people telling you what great kids you have, you have done your job as a parent.

Single parents have nothing to do with it. A lot of families that have 2 parents have one working all the time. My father worked long hard hours and wasnt around much. My grandfather did the same. It all comes down to discipline....its obsolete.

Single parent welfare has increased single parent families from 8% in the '50's to 50% today. Research shows children raised in single parent families, generally, have more behavioral problems.

Kids can do whatever they want today because there are no consequences. 20 years ago we were respectful only because if the teacher called home about behavior our butts would get whipped. Well thats now illegal so kids can do what they want. Would you expect anything less?
How stupid is society when they ban spanking and now are bewildered that students have no respect? Are people really that stupid? duh.

While I agree that money must be spent wisely in our schools, if you want bright young people (the "best and brightest" as it were) to choose education as a profession, the way to NOT do that is by cutting salaries and benefits and slashing school funding.

Back in the early 80's when I graduated, we as students respected our teachers, parents, our elders! If you were told to do something, you did it, no questions, no attitude. I witnessed many a teacher/principal haul kids to the office by the scruff of the neck/shirt collar (yes myself included) for disrespecting or causing a problem in class. Detentions or suspension meant something back then. But not as much as what was going to happen, when I got home! Too many parents are sue happy, want to be there child’s best friend, or cant believe there little darling would do such things! Its time parents wake up and be parents, and allow there children to face the consequences. Yes there will be that one official who oversteps the boundaries. As a parent now, if my kid was grabbed by a teacher or official, my first question would be, what did you do! Not what’s the lawyers number!

This is a problem that has no answer or solution. There will always be nice people and people who are not nice. There are a lot of people who are good that came from bad parents and a lot of bad folks who came from good parents. People are just people. Those who are good can just act as examples to others. Schools help prepare children for adulthood and there is just as many bullies and bad folks in the work place as there are in school.

Too many parents want to be their kids' best friends
and are reluctant to side with the schools
for fear of being disliked by their children.

Reinstate corporal punsihment

Maybe when a significant percentage of parents stop taking their nasty kid's side and make it clear that if there is a call from the office, the kid is going to wish he could sleep in the office because home life isn't going to be too happy for a while.

If that were the case Sigma, you should take a pay cut.

dtb - Why do schools need so much funds? Do you think pouring money on education makes it better? Perhaps if I or you were a really crappy employee, do you think our employer is going to throw money at us to make us better? HAHA! While that is some peoples logic it is surely no where near reality.

what can we expect staffers and administrators to do in order to improve the scores? Really? Just read the comments under any article in the gazette and look at how the "adults" act toward one another. How in the world can we expect the students to be any different when their parents are on here bickering day in and day out?

When I read all the name calling on here I'm not surprised kids are not nicer to each other.

MR, read a little deeper: "School spokesperson Gabe Ross told News 10 that who gets laid off is mandated by state law".

Not really a union issue. The bigger issue is why was $143 million cut from the school budget? And why aren't we trying to find better ways to fund our schools?

When adults offer a better example. The recall process opened a lot of eyes as to why the unions need to be removed from our education system.

http://capoliticalnews.com/2012/06/17/un...

Teach of the year fired under union contract.

Exactly frogger. One must first be respected to know what it is in order to follow. Janesville thinks its 1950 still with student etiquette.

When adults start to become more respectful!